The Seven Realms
by Shadowpheonix88
Summary: Sakura is abducted by a strange, new power. Now, Li, Tomoyo and Meiling must venture into The Realms to save her. Will they succeed in rescuing her? Or will they put themselves in danger? Please R&R.
1. Stumbling in the Darkness

Authors Note (A/N): This story takes place about a year after Sakura defeats Eriol. She is 12 in this story and in the sixth grade. Li never confessed to Sakura, and the 2nd movie didn't happen. Things in _italics _are either thoughts or emphases.

**Chapter 1: Stumbling in the Darkness**

"Sakura! What are you doing? What's going on?"

"Li… help me. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

Li threw out his hand, attempting to rescue Sakura from the dark hole that was enveloping her. He felt the magic and rushed to find her as soon as it had appeared. "Hang on! Just a little further. I'll get you out!"

"Please hurry! It hurts, Li!"

The blackness surrounding Sakura deepened to a black darker than the deepest night. It was pitch black and nothing could escape it. Li held on, refusing to let go of the girl he loved the most. "Sakura! I won't let go. You've got to hang on!"

Sakura felt immense pain. It was as if she were being torn apart. She also felt the magic, dark powers that had been invoked to take her away. Who it was that wanted her, and how they could possess such strong magic, she neither knew, nor cared. She was too busy struggling against the dark power that threatened to tear her from her world.

Abruptly, a strange thought came to Sakura. _Let go. I am all powerful, you cannot escape_. The thought was not her own. It was as if someone was in her mind, speaking to her, thinking at her. She thought back, _No! I won't let go. Whoever or whatever you are, get out of my head!_ The blackness grew even darker. The magic was strong and Sakura couldn't do anything about it. The pain was too intense. She let go of Li's hand and was sucked into the blackness, losing all consciousness.

* * *

When she awoke, everything around her was black. It was the black of the moonless night, a night that would never retreat, a night heralding doom. _No! I must find a way back!_ Sakura started walking around. She reached into her pocket. She felt around in her pocket, feeling for her Cards. _Huh? Where did they…no! I just had them!_ She started to panic. Feeling powerless and alone, she fell to her knees, sobbing, crying for the loss of her cards, crying more for the loneliness she now felt in this strange new land.

"No, I can't have lost them." She whispered to herself. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a boy appeared, shrouded in darkness. The boy held a lantern and spoke with the voice of the alien thought that had invaded her mind before she left her world.

"Don't worry too much. You're here now. Worrying will only make things worse." His voice was demanding, as if he expected her to agree with him under all circumstances. He spoke with an eerie confidence that whispered he could do anything.

"Wh… who… who are you?" Sakura asked, timidly, trembling on the ground, fearing the strength of this boy's magic, enough strength to rip her from her world.

"Who I am is of no importance to you right now. You will hear and obey, understand?" His voice grew angry. "You will not struggle or attempt to escape. If you do, I promise you will find yourself longing for the pain you felt when you first came here!"

_What have I gotten myself into? Who is this guy? He can't be that strong!_ Sakura struggled to get her words out. "I… I… ok…" She started to cry, submitting to her fear.

"Stop crying! I'm warning you!" The boy said. He seemed to grow taller, more monstrous, as an aura of dark magic surrounded him. The aura threatened to snuff out the light that he was carrying. _His magic! It's so powerful. Even the light seems to acknowledge it. Oh… I wish someone would save me. I wish I had my cards!_

As if responding to her thought, the boy said calmly, "You want your cards? They're over there." He gestured to a table that Sakura hadn't seen before. "You can have them back. You'll need them."

Sakura wondered what he meant by that, and, against her better judgment, blurted out, "What do you mean I'll need them?" She immediately regretted her words as anger flashed through the boy's eyes.

"Trust me. You'll need them. Don't ask anymore questions. We wouldn't want you to get hurt now would we?" he asked in a half mocking voice.

Anger raced through Sakura's mind. She leapt for her cards, released her star rod and cried "Shot!" Before the card had a chance to attack, the boy waved his hand dismissively and the card, along with Sakura, flew backwards. Sakura landed on her back, a little more than three yards from where she was standing a second ago. _Ow! What was that?_

The boy approached Sakura, while Sakura backed away, never turning her back to him. She suddenly felt a wall behind her. As she realized that she was trapped, she turned to face the boy, putting on a mask of determination despite the fear eating away at her. "What are you?" she asked, again regretting the words as they sprung out of her mouth.

The boy calmly answered, "You don't need to know. But, since you're so curious, I'll give you my name. I'm Shadow." The boy looked her up and down, as if considering what to do to her. Finally he said, "I'll let that go this time. Savor it. Next time, you won't be so lucky." Seeing that his words had made an impact on Sakura, who lost what little self control she had left, he turned and started to leave.

"Wait!" Sakura said. Shadow stopped. "What do you want with me? Are you just going to leave me here?"

Shadow turned around to face her. After a few more minutes of staring at her coldly, he said, "Yes, I will leave you here. Unless you'd like to follow me, of course."

Sakura stared at him perplexedly. _What am I supposed to do? What does he want? _Thoughts raced through her head. Shadow turned and started leaving again. Hesitantly, Sakura got up, and, deciding that it was a good idea to keep an eye on Shadow rather than let him sneak up on her, followed him.

"I see you've decided to follow. Good" _What is with this guy? He's talking like he knew I was going to. Oh… What does he want with me?_ Struggling between her thoughts and her fear of the boy who called himself Shadow, she kept silent.

Shadow stopped at a doorway. "This is your room. You can escape through the window if you have enough courage to try."

Sakura stared at him, mouth hanging open. She couldn't believe how arrogant he was. _What I wouldn't do to wipe that smile off his face!_ Shadow responded, too, to this thought.

"Wipe it off then. I sincerely wish you good luck. Here, let me get you started. I'll choose the card for you. How bout this one… Fiery?" he said, taking the card out of Sakura's deck, naming it without once glancing at it.

Sakura stared at him in horror._ He can read my mind! _She thought, unsure if it was a question or not. Slowly, she began to give in to hopelessness.

"That's right. I can. Now… you were about to 'wipe this smile off my face', if I recall correctly. Why don't you proceed? Or are you too afraid of the consequences?"

Sakura knew he was just trying to get her mad. She also knew that if she got mad, she might do something she would regret and struggled to suppress her anger. _He's stronger than me. If I attack, he has a reason to hurt me. He won't hurt me without reason. I know he won't!_

Shadow chuckled at her. "Well? What are you going to do?" He held out Fiery in his hand.

Sakura took Fiery from Shadow, walked into her room, sat down on the bed and put her head down on the pillow, resting her head as the day's events floated through her mind. A smile touched Shadow's lips. "There's a bathroom over there and dinner will be ready at eight thirty." Tossing Sakura a watch, Shadow finished his short speech and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

The room was rather large. It was at least as big as her room back home. The walls were made of hard stones and there was a bed in a corner and a door leading to what Shadow claimed was the bathroom. It didn't have any electric lights, but instead, a nice lantern as well as a bunch of unlit candles hung on the wall. You might have thought it was a well-decorated dungeon in a medieval castle if not for the digital clock that stood on a lamp stand beside her bed.

Looking around the room, she got up and paced the length of the floor, letting her thoughts wander. _What am I supposed to do? He said eight thirty, its seven right now. He can't be all bad. He gave me a room and he's offering dinner... What am I supposed to do? I don't get him! He got mad at me for asking questions, and then he answers half of my questions, creating even more! I'm so scared. Li… He'd know what to do._ _I guess I'll go to dinner. Wait! He never told me where! Argh! I can't believe this. How did I get into this? _Sakura lay down on the bed, beginning to cry. _No…Crying won't do anything for me. I'll be alright._ She decided she would go take a shower before dinner. Then, another thought hit her. _If I take a shower, I wouldn't be able to change into anything, so why would it matter?_ As these thoughts occurred to her, a small dresser sitting in the corner suddenly caught her eye. Slowly, disbelievingly, she opened it and found clothes that fit her almost perfectly.

She carefully picked out a few clothes and went into the bathroom to take her shower, bringing the digital watch with her, so she wouldn't lose track of the time. Undressing, she went over the entirety of the events that had begun with her dream.

* * *

She had woken up that morning, ready for school. She went downstairs after dressing quickly and waited for Touya to call her a little monster as he always had ever since she was little. Oddly enough, he didn't that day and instead greeted her with a simple "Good morning" Smiling at her he added, "You look nice today. Trying to attract the attention of every boy in your school?" She was wearing her regular school clothes.

"Stop that Touya!" she said in a mock angry voice. They both started laughing. Touya put her breakfast on the table and she ate it, savoring every bite of the delicious bacon and eggs. "I had one of those weird dreams again Touya," she said.

Touya looked at her concernedly. "You keep saying that. I think you're just a bit paranoid. You're just expecting something to happen, now that everything's slowed down. I think you _want_ things to happen."

Just then, Kero came down. "Good morning! How's everyone?"

"Sakura had another dream. She's worried about it."

"Tell me about it Sakura. Maybe I can figure out what it means." Kero said as he poured himself a large bowl of frosted cereal.

"Well, I keep having this dream that I'm in a really dark place all by myself. Then, I come across a pool of very dark water. But, when I look into the water, I don't see my reflection; I see the reflection of another girl, someone I don't know. Then I look up, and I see the other girl floating above the water, saying something to me. I can never make out more than the words, 'be ready for…' Then the girl disappears and I see a boy standing there. He's just standing there, staring at me. All of a sudden, a dark aura surrounds him and he uses it to throw me into the freezing cold water, and that's when I always wake up."

"Hmm… well Sakura. Here's what I know about the dream."

"Really? You know something about it? What is it?"

"Well…"

"Well what? I've had this dream for a while now. I've gotta know what it means!"

"I know that…"

"KERO! What do you know?"

"I know that your dream doesn't mean anything to me."

Sakura fell over. Then, she jumped up, screaming at Kero. "KERO! DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN! NEXT TIME YOU DO THAT, I SWEAR I'LL USE MY SWORD CARD TO CUT OFF YOUR RIGHT EAR!"

"You don't have to yell. At least I tried to help, unlike this pile of trash over here." Kero said, pointing to Touya.

"Whatever. Hey, Sakura, you coming? You'll be late for school. You'd think that being in 6th grade would cure that, but of course not."

Sakura calmed down, her face still red. "I'm coming. Just give me a second."

She put on her rollerblades and pads and chased after her brother, who just left on his bike. She was looking forward to seeing Li in school today. She hoped that he would have the answer to her question about her dream. She had kept it from him until now, but she decided that it might be a good idea to ask him. _Besides, I like Li. I should let him know if I have any problems…_

Just as she made it to school, the bell rang for class. _Not again!_ She thought. She was always late for school, but this year her math teacher wasn't so nice. She ran to her locker, got her books and ran to her classroom. "I'm sorry I'm late Mr. Nelson. It won't happen again."

"Sakura! I'd like to see you after class."

"Yes, sir."

"As I was saying, if x equals…" Sakura couldn't help ignoring the teacher who had recently arrived from England to, as he said, "interact with the students of Japan and learn the culture." She had too much to think about and lazily jotted down the notes that were on the board and looked at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring again.

"Class, before you go, you have homework. Tomorrow you will have a small quiz," the teacher said as the bell rang. "Class dismissed."

"Li, I need to talk to you. Can you wait for me while I speak with Mr. Nelson?"

"Sure thing Sakura, but if you make me late to my next class…" Li said jokingly, knowing that his next class was gym with Sakura.

"Sakura, how many times do I have to tell you? Get to my class on time! If you don't I'll have to give you detention. You wouldn't want that would you? Sakura? Sakura!"

"Huh? Oh… sorry Mr. Nelson. No I wouldn't want detention."

"What's on your mind? I saw you sitting there, completely spaced out. If you keep this up I'll have to send you to the principles office."

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I promise"

"Very well. I'll see you tomorrow then." Sakura quickly walked outside, eager to avoid the penetrating gaze of the tall man that was her math teacher. She had been so caught up in getting out of Mr. Nelson's sight that she didn't hear Li until the second time he called her name.

"Sakura! What are you doing? I thought you wanted to talk to me." Li had finally gotten her attention. She looked up at Li. Staring into those amber eyes, she couldn't help thinking how lucky she was. _You idiot! Just tell him how you feel!_ A voice in her head said._ No, I can't! What if he doesn't like me? Besides, it's customary for the boy to say so first, isn't it?_ "Well Sakura? What is it?" Li was growing impatient, even if their next class was the same.

"Li," she said, struggling between telling him her feelings for him and telling him what she had wanted to tell him. "Li, I've been having a dream these past couple of days, and Kero says he doesn't have any clue what they're about. It's the same dream every single time, and its kinda scaring me."

"What's the dream? Sakura? Why are you crying?"

Sakura had begun to cry. She didn't know why. She just cried. She walked over to Li, gave him a hug of gratitude and started telling him about the dream. When she finished, Li was standing there holding out a handkerchief for her. "Here. Don't worry about it Sakura. I don't know what your dream is about, but we'll face it together."

_

* * *

Well, she thought__, so much for facing it together._ She had just finished her shower and changed into a nice pink shirt and some jeans. _I wonder where dinner is_. She looked at her watch. It read '8:15'. _Well, better get going. I'll probably find it somewhere…_ She walked out of the bathroom and let out a small scream when she found Shadow waiting for her, sitting on her bed. she thought She had just finished her shower and changed into a nice pink shirt and some jeans. . She looked at her watch. It read '8:15'. She walked out of the bathroom and let out a small scream when she found Shadow waiting for her, sitting on her bed. 

"Well, are you ready for dinner?"

Suddenly startled, Sakura replied, "I… I… didn't… keep you waiting t-too l-long did I-I?"

"I just got here. Don't be so nervous. I won't hurt you. Too much." He added the last part with a quick chuckle. Sakura smiled nervously at him. "Well, let's go. I suppose that you'll want some food." He held out his hand for her.

Sakura took his hand. "Yes, please. Umm… do you mind if I ask a few questions?" she asked tentatively, fearing the answer.

Sighing, Shadow replied, "depends, what questions?"

"Well, I just want to know how come your being half-nice and half-mean at the s-same t-time… wh-why are you s-staring at m-me l-like that?" Shadow had begun to glare at her after she has said the words "half-nice."

"Would you rather I not be nice at all?" His stare penetrated her. All of a sudden, Sakura felt like a two-year-old child facing up to a giant monster. She was too scared to move. She just stood there, her eye's wide with fear. "Don't start crying. Come on. Let's go get you some food." He took her hand, walking her to the dinner table. He motioned for her to sit where she liked.

They were in a nice little room, not too different from her own. There were candles lighting everything, and a nice, tall candle, like one you might find in a restaurant, in the middle of the small square table where Shadow had asked her to sit. On the table were two plates, both identical, with rice and chicken. Next to the plates was what looked like a menu. Sakura decided that she'd look at that later and sat down, looking at the delicious looking meal in front of her. _I wonder what he did to it. I bet it's poisoned or something. I wonder what he wants with me._

Responding to her thoughts again, Shadow let out a sigh. "It's not poisoned. Don't worry. I'm not trying to get you killed."

At this, Sakura gave another start. "Whe-where did you learn to read people's minds?"

Shadow stared at her. She looked at him, wondering if she had done something wrong again. "I didn't 'learn' to read people's minds. I just do. Now, are you going to eat, or do I have to send you back to your room?"

She stared at him, decided that it was a good idea not to let the food get too cold, and took a bite. "This is the most delicious chicken I've had in my life!" she exclaimed loudly. Just as she did so, fear struck her as she realized that she had spoken without being asked. _Oh no! I hope he doesn't get mad at me for that…_ Sakura looked down at her feet, trying to avoid that deadly gaze she imagined coming from the boy sitting across the table.

"Thank you. I made it myself. You know, Sakura, you're a bit jumpy. Are you afraid of me?" he asked mockingly.

"Uhh… umm… Maybe… I mean no… I mean yes… I don't know!" she said the last with a bit of energy, which caused her to shrink back into her chair yet again.

"Sakura," Shadow said, his voice lightening to a more casual, conversational voice, "You've got the most beautiful eyes."

Sakura looked up at the boy. "Thank you." She said hesitantly, blushing as she dropped her eyes back down to the ground.

Shadow smiled. He got up and walked over to Sakura, putting a finger under her chin to lift it up. Sakura stared into those dark brown eyes. So dark, you could hardly tell they were brown. Shadow wasn't very tall. He was about a head taller than Sakura, and about an inch or two taller than Li, so she had to look up to talk to him. He wore a dark grey shirt with black, baggy pants. His clothes blended perfectly with the room and his personality. He had straight black hair that was combed neatly, in no particular direction, and seemed to complement his clothes rather than the other way around. Sakura couldn't help feeling safer in his presence. Then, she remembered the power that he held. She froze completely, afraid she might get him mad. "Eat. Don't be so scared. I felt you lose that fear for a second. Try to keep it that way."

Sakura couldn't take her eyes away from his gaze. Shadow walked back to his seat across from her. "If you'd rather have something else, you can look at the menu. There's not much there. I'm not that great of a cook."

She diverted her gaze to her food, unsure of what to do. She took another bite of the juicy chicken that lay in front of her. _Maybe things won't be so bad._ She finished her food quickly. "Thank you for the meal," she said, wanting more.

Shadow gave a quick laugh. "If you want more you can ask."

Sakura stared at him, caught off guard again by his mind reading ability. "I… I'm… I'll be fine. Thank you anyways."

Somehow, Shadow knew she was lying and got up. "I'll go make you some more. Sit down."

"Sorry," she said, looking down at the floor again. Moments later, Shadow came back with another dish of the same food. Just looking at it made Sakura hungry again. She took it from Shadow and began eating it again. When she was finished, she was rather full and unable to eat the dessert that Shadow had brought her.

"This is where we'll have meals every day. If you'd prefer to dine alone, then I'll leave and you can eat here by yourself." Sakura looked at him, baffled. _Why did he bring that up? I never even thought of wanting to eat by myself. Unless he thinks I'm _that_ scared of him…_ She gave a quick nod. "I'll take you back to your room now."

Shadow walked her to her room, where she flopped onto the bed, tired from the day. "Good night," he said, and closed the door as he left.

Sakura lay there. After a while, she turned to look at the clock on her lamp stand. _It's eleven, and I'm still not asleep. I just can't fall asleep. I don't get it. Everything today didn't make any sense. I wish I knew what was going on!_ She continued going over the days events from where she had last left off.

* * *

Walking along with Li to gym class, Sakura felt reassured. _I feel so much better. I wish I had the guts to tell Li I like him. I wonder if he likes me. He's always listened to everything I have to say. I hope he likes me… _They made it to their class just as the bell rang. She absentmindedly did everything in gym, still lost in her own train of thought.

The rest of the day went by in roughly the same way: she did her work quietly and didn't really hear what anyone had to say to her. Tomoyo had tried talking to her, but she didn't hear her. After a few tries, Tomoyo had finally given up talking to her. After school was over, she walked home. She was too lost in her thoughts to even put on her blades. When she got home, she only half noticed that Kero was reading a book rather than playing games. She went up to her room and stared at her phone, wondering if she should call Li. Her eyes began to droop as sleep rolled upon her.

The phone rang, waking her. She gave a start and then walked over to pick it up.

"Sakura? It's Li. Do you feel it? The power that's pulsing down in the center of the city. We've gotta go see what's going on. I'll meet you there."

"Ok Li." Yawning, she hung up. The phone rang again and she picked it up impatiently. "Hello?"

"Hey Sakura! It's Tomoyo. What happened today at school? You seemed so spaced out."

"Tomoyo, Li's detected some magic down in the center of the city. Call back later." With that, she hung up. She quickly grabbed her blades and went to the center of the city. She was surprised when she saw Tomoyo standing there waiting for her with a costume in her hands.

"Well, you said it involved magic. So, change into it." Tomoyo smiled at her friend.

"Alright. Give me a sec." Sakura changed into it quickly. It was the same one she wore when she fought the shadow card. Tomoyo got out her video recorder and started taping Sakura as usual. They walked towards where the pulses originated, Sakura leading the way, with her wand already in hand. Suddenly, a large hole seemed to open up in space, eveloping Sakura.

"Sakura!" Li cried as he appeared on the scene.

_

* * *

Well, that's that. I wonder what Shadow wants with me. Oh well. I've gotta get to sleep. For all I know, he'll wake me up tomorrow at six. Why do weird things have to happen to me? With that last thought in her head, Sakura slowly gave in to her fatigue and fell asleep, wondering what would happen the next day._

* * *

Did you like it? Questions? Comments? Email me and I'll be happy to answer any and all questions about the story, but I won't give away what happens next. You're welcome to guess. I'll tell you if you're right. 


	2. Dreams and Discoveries

Authors Note (A/N): This story takes place about a year after Sakura defeats Eriol. She is 12 in this story and in the sixth grade. Li never confessed to Sakura, and the 2nd movie didn't happen. Things in _italics _are either thoughts or emphasis.

**Chapter 2: Dreams and Discoveries**

Li stood there, staring at the spot that Sakura had just been. "No," he whispered, his voice growing louder and more intense. "No!" he screamed. Nothing else was on his mind, only Sakura. _I can't have lost her. I CAN'T have!_ _I'll get her back. Whatever happens. I promised we'd face it together!_ He was lost in his thoughts, standing there, still staring at the spot, the spot that had caused all his misery.

"Li!" Tomoyo cried, "Li! Snap out of it! Hello?"

Li just stood there, contemplating what he could possibly do. After a few, long moments, Li walked forward, to the spot where Sakura had been standing minutes before. _There must be some clue here. I won't lose her!_

"Li, come on! Maybe Eriol knows what to do. Let's talk to him."

Li continued his search, ignoring everything else. He felt a sharp pain in his arm, and ignored that as well. His mind was on nothing other than finding Sakura. _And making whoever did this pay!_ He thought violently.

"Li! We'll never find her just standing here! Let's go!" Tomoyo said forcefully. She grabbed Li's arm, attempting to pull him aside. Li pushed her away, completely unaware of what he had just done. Tears began to well up in Tomoyo's eyes. "I can't believe you! It's like you don't even want to save her!"

Li finally heard her. "Now you're going too far! You know how much I care about Sakura! How could you say that? You think I'm just fooling around here? Unlike you I'm actually doing something useful! I thought you were her friend! Either make yourself useful, or get lost!"

Tomoyo began to cry. "I… I… I care about her too! B-But you don't have to be so mean! You could try to be less stubborn sometime, and listen to the people around you. You'll never find her this way!" With that, Tomoyo turned and ran, crying for the first time in ages.

Li stared after her, torn between going after her, and continuing his fruitless search. _Maybe she's right. Maybe I should talk to Eriol. What would Sakura do? No! I can't think like that… She's not gone yet!_ He began to run after Tomoyo, knowing that he should apologize. "Tomoyo! Wait up!" He caught up to her, grabbed her arm, and tried to talk to her. "Tomoyo, I'm…"

Tomoyo cut him off. "So, you finally decided to listen to me?" Pushing him off her arm, she continued to run.

_What is wrong with her? Where is she going?_ Li went after her, he couldn't think of anything else to do. He followed Tomoyo up to a large house. Li recognized the house as Eriol's. _I may as well talk to him. That's probably why Tomoyo came here. _He walked up the steps, after Tomoyo.

"Hello, is Eriol home today?" Tomoyo asked urgently, her features the embodiment of calm. "I really must speak with him."

"No, I'm sorry. He's gone back to Europe. He said he'd be back in a couple of weeks. Is something wrong? Can I take a message?" A tall, butler-like man asked.

"No, it's ok. Does he have a cell phone?" Li chimed in. He was too impatient. _I can't wait a few weeks! Sakura's in danger!_

"Yes, he does. Here, I'll write down his number for you. This must be really important…" The butler mumbled the last part to himself.

"Please hurry," Tomoyo said with big, round, pleading eyes, the only part of her face that betrayed any impatience. "It really is very important."

"Here you are. This is his phone number. If he doesn't pick up, you can call his house with this other number."

Li took the paper with a quick thank you and ran home, forgetting that Tomoyo still existed. "Li! Hey! Wait for me! Don't be so selfish!" Tomoyo said as she ran after him.

Li ran into his house, picked up the phone and quickly dialed the numbers on the sheet of paper. _Come on! Pick up!_ He thought, pleadingly. "Hello?" came a voice over the phone.

"Eriol? Hi, this is Li. I… I have something important to tell you."

"Is it about Sakura? And a new dark power that has seemingly abducted her?"

"Yes! How do you know? Where are you? What are we supposed to do?"

"Well… I really don't know. I just know where the power came from. And there's no way for us to get there. Unless…"

"What? What are you talking about? Unless what? I've gotta save her!" Li was panicking. This was his last hope. _He's gotta know what to do! He's the reincarnation of Clow Reed!_ "Well? What can we do?"

"Be patient. Wait for me, at my house. I'm almost there."

"Ok. Thank you." Li hung up. He started running out the door. Tomoyo caught his arm.

"Stop ignoring me! I care about Sakura too you know! Tell me what Eriol said!"

"Look, just come with me. I don't have time to tell you anything. Eriol's coming here. He said he was almost at his house. Let's go!"

"Alright, but you better tell me everything when we get there!"

Li ran out of the room, with Tomoyo closely behind. _I hope he's there already. I hope he knows what to do._ He arrived at Eriol's house and waited in front of it like Eriol had told him to do. "Ok Tomoyo. What do you want to know?"

"Just tell me the whole story! I want to know what Eriol said!" Tomoyo said, staring at Li as if he should have known that was what she would ask.

"Ok, ok! He didn't say much. He already knew about what happened. He told me what I was going to tell him. Then he said something about not being able to go save her. He said 'I just know where the power came from. And there's no way for us to get there. Unless…' Then when I asked him what he was talking about, he told me to come here."

Li looked at Tomoyo.

"Ok… so what are we supposed to do? Just wait? Did he say how long it would be?" Tomoyo asked.

"No, he didn't say much at all. He just said to come here. So I guess we just wait." Li sat down, weary from all the running and thought over everything that had happened, searching for a clue. _Sakura has to be ok! I couldn't live with myself if anything ever happened to her!_ Li was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he didn't even notice Eriol until he touched his arm.

"I thought you wanted to hurry. You didn't even notice me." Eriol said with the slightest hint of sarcasm.

"Sorry, I was thinking about everything that Sakura said. I was hoping to find some clue. Anyways, now that you're here, what are we going to do to save her?"

"Calm down Li. Eriol's doing everything he can." Li was caught off guard. He had forgotten, again, that Tomoyo existed.

"Sorry." Li said, half-heartedly. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Li, do you have your Lasin board with you?"

"Of course I do, I bring it everywhere, just in case. What do you want me to do with it?"

Eriol sighed. "Can't you figure that out by yourself? What does your Lasin board do?"

"Oh. You want me to use it to try to locate the Clow Cards that Sakura's holding."

"They're not Clow Cards anymore, but yes."

"Ok, I'll try." _I can't believe I didn't think of this! _Li invoked the powers of his board and a white light shone. The white light didn't go in any particular direction. It just hung, suspended in the air for a moment. Then, the light shot into Eriol's house. "In there." Li said.

"So I was right. That is where she is. There's only one way there." Eriol said, half to himself. "Let's go." Eriol walked into his house, greeted by his butler with a cheery "I didn't expect you home so early, sir."

Li and Tomoyo followed Eriol into his house and then into his study. Among the bookshelves Eriol picked out a small brown book. He opened it and started mumbling to himself, frustrated. Li decided it was a bad idea to ask him what he was doing, so he sat down and waited patiently for once. He exchanged glances with Tomoyo, who clearly did not know what was going on either. Suddenly, Eriol thrust the brown book at Li. Li, caught a little off guard, fumbled with the book before catching it. "Hold on to that. You might need it." Eriol said as he walked to another bookshelf and picked out another book.

Eriol repeated the process six more times, each book identical but for their different colored covers. When he finished, Li was carrying 7 different colored books: red, brown, green, blue, yellow, white, and black.

"Those might come in handy where you're going," Eriol said nonchalantly.

"Where's that? And what are these books for?" Li couldn't hold in his question any longer. He glowered at Eriol, demanding an answer from him.

"There's no real name for where you're going, or none that I know of. All I can tell you about them is written in those books that you carry. There are a few spells in those books as well, though I don't think you will ever be powerful enough to use them. Take those books. Read them if you must know what's going on. Come back here tomorrow and I might be ready. Oh, and Li? Learn to be patient."

Li stared at him as if he were speaking Latin. "What are you talking about? It's been two and a half hours since Sakura disappeared and you want me to just sit at home reading books? You want me to wait until tomorrow? If I do that, she may be gone forever! We have to go now!"

Eriol glared at Li, quieting his last sentence. "We can't go now. I don't have the proper spell set up. If you would just be patient, we might be able to get ready by tomorrow. Go home and get a good night's sleep. You'll need it."

"Eriol," Tomoyo said insistently, "We really care about Sakura. Are you sure we can't go now?"

Eriol taking a different tone with Tomoyo, said, "I'm sorry Tomoyo. We really can't. I don't have the spell set up. I'll try my best to get it ready by tomorrow. I'm sure Sakura will be fine. She's very resourceful."

"I believe you Eriol. I'll leave you to your spell now. Good night." Tomoyo left the room.

"Tomorrow. Fine. I'll see you then. It better be ready." Li said. _He better have it ready! Sakura's in danger. I can feel it._ "Good night!" Li stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

On his way home, he found himself thinking about Sakura. _What I wouldn't give to look into those emerald eyes again. I will save you Sakura! Nothing will stand in my way!_ He arrived at his house, still lost in his thoughts. He quickly undressed, took a shower, and went to bed. _Eriol said to get a good night's sleep, and as much as I hate listening to him, he must have a good reason for it._ As Li allowed his thoughts to wander aimlessly through his head, sleep began to roll over him, eventually enveloping his entire self and leading him into a nightmare wrought rest.

* * *

"Where, where am I?" Li said. He stood in a dark room. There was nothing there. He walked over to a pool of water. As he looked around the room, his eye caught on something. _Huh?_ _What's that? _He saw it clearly, a large half golden, half silver ring. He felt it call to him and reached out for it. Just as his hand touched it, someone screamed in the distance. "Sakura!" he said as he recognized the voice and ran after it. 

"Li? Help me!" Sakura screamed. Li ran towards the voice. He finally saw her, sitting in a cage. Next to her, he saw a boy with a dark, black aura surrounding him.

"So, you came. You won't save her. You may as well give up now." The boy said.

"I'll never give up! I will save Sakura if it costs my life!" Li said enthusiastically. "I will save her. You won't stand in my way." He had already drawn his sword, not knowing that he had it with him. He reached for his fire _ofuda_, but stopped inches away from it. "Wha?" His arm stopped moving. He couldn't move anything from his head down. "What did you do?"

"Nothing really. Tell me something, how many lives are you willing to risk for Sakura? How about hers?" The boy said, motioning towards another cage. Inside the cage lay Tomoyo, seemingly on the threshold between life and death. "And what about her?" Again the boy motioned to a cage. This one held another girl, one that Li knew and loved for a sister. "Do you care about any of them as long as you get Sakura?"

"Meiling! No! What have you done to them?" Li asked as he struggled vainly against the powers holding him in place. _I have to save them!_

"So, choose. If you choose Sakura, the other two will die. However, if you don't choose Sakura, only she will die. What will it be? Make your choice quickly, or they'll all meet the same fate." The boy barked an evil laugh. "Well?"

"You vile little worm! Who are you to play with people's lives like this?"

"And who are you, Li, to risk other people to save this one girl? Is it justifiable for you to save this girl, and put the others in danger just because you happen to like her?" The boy's eyes seemed to grow, his stare gaining ferocity and an almost penetrating power. "So, once again, who will you choose? Does she really mean so much to you?"

"I… I can't choose. I will _destroy_ you!" Li shouted at the top of his lungs, even knowing that he was powerless.

"I guess they'll all go then. Oh well." The boy smiled a wicked smile. "I'll begin with this one, while she watches." He was going after Tomoyo, forcing Sakura to watch.

"No! Leave them alone!" Sakura screamed, tears welling up in her eyes. "They haven't done anything! You can't do this to them!"

The boy turned towards Sakura. "Fine, I won't hurt them. But you won't be so lucky!" He lashed out at her with a torrent of dark energy. Sakura and Li screamed at the same time, feeling the same pain.

* * *

"Nooooooooo!" Li screamed as he sat straight up in bed, panting with cold sweat covering his face. _It was just a dream. But all of this started with a dream. No! I won't let any of them die. _He looked at the clock and saw that it was eleven fifteen. _I'll go get a drink of water. I wonder how Sakura's doing. She has to be ok._ As Li poured himself a glass of water, the phone rang. 

Li jumped three inches into the air, dropping the glass on the table. _Who could it be at this hour?_ He thought, calming himself while staring distastefully at the spilled water. He walked through the dark room, flicked on the lights, and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

The voice on the other side was raspy, as if its owner had a cold. "Li?"

"Yes, who's this?" Li said, schooling his voice to calmness.

"It's me, Meiling. I just had a dream. I wanted to talk to you about it. I'm sorry if I woke you, but I think it's important."

"Meiling? Where are you?" Li asked instinctively. Then he added, "What kind of a dream?" remembering the dream he just had.

"Well, I was walking in a dark room, and I heard a voice screaming. It was Sakura's voice. Then I followed the voice, and saw a boy standing next to her. She was in a _cage_, Li!" Meiling said as she began to cry. "They… they put her in a _cage_! And she was… she was screaming, telling… telling me to run away. Then he, the boy I mean, told me to choose. You were in a cage, along with Tomoyo. He said either Sakura would die, or the two of you would. I'm so scared Li. What should I do?"

Li stood there for a moment, unable say anything. Thoughts swam around him. _What's going on?_ He couldn't puzzle it out.

"Hello? Li?" Meiling's voice was desperate, seeking counsel from Li.

"Meilin, where are you right now?" Li asked, trying to stall for time.

"Well, I'm in my house, in Hong Kong. What's that got to do with anything? Li…? Are you there?" Meiling's voice grew worried.

Li stood for a moment longer, deliberately breathing into the phone to assure Meilin that he was still there. _She sound's like she's about to cry. What am I supposed to do? If I tell her my dream, she'll just become more afraid. I've gotta come up with something._ "Meiling, everything will be alright. I'll make sure of it. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?"

"Li, I need to know, how's Sakura doing? I've been having weird dreams about her. She called me a little while ago, telling me that she'd been having nightmares. She said she was in a dark room with water. I think that's where my dream just took place. Li, is something wrong with Sakura right now? This dream, it felt so real. It wasn't like any of the other dreams that I've had… Li?"

_What am I supposed to do? I don't want to drag her into this as well. If I told her what happened she'd fly over here now to help me and Sakura. But I don't want to lie to her. I guess I don't have a choice. _"Meiling, something is wrong. I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want you to get scared. I just woke up from the same dream. I came downstairs to get a drink when you called. Yes, something is wrong. Just today, Sakura disappeared. I… I tried to save her…" Tears came to Li's eyes. _I've got to be strong. I can't cry now. I have to support Meiling._ "But she… she got sucked into this weird dark portal. She's gone Meiling. Eriol said he might know how to save her. He's working on a spell to get to where she is. Don't worry about it. I'll save her." Li wasn't sure he could save Sakura, but he didn't want Meiling involved. _I have to sound confident. Even if I'm as scared as she is._

"Li, you know I want to help. Even if you do have 'everything under control' like you always say. Sakura's my friend. I have to help her."

"Meiling, I don't want you to be a part of this. I can handle it. Besides, I have Tomoyo's help." As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he shouldn't have said them. _Great. Now that she knows Tomoyo is helping out, I'll never be able to keep her away. No turning back now._

"Tomoyo's helping? Then why can't I? If Tomoyo gets to help, then I'm coming too. I'll fly over there tomorrow morning." Meiling's voice brightened up. There was a hint of accomplishment in her voice, as if she had just beaten Li at a game.

Li knew he had lost. "Fine, come over tomorrow. I'll meet you at my house. See you then." _Great. Now she's involved. That's the _last_ thing I needed. Oh well, it's too late now._ He hung up with a sense of regret. Feeling a little defeated and very tired, Li walked back upstairs and flopped back down on his bed. _I'll clean up the broken glass tomorrow. Or, knowing Meilin, she'll clean it up for me._ Yawning, Li fell asleep.

* * *

Tomoyo sat up in her bed with a start, sweat matting down her hair. _What a weird dream. I sure hope Sakura's alright. _She thought about calling Eriol, and decided against it. _He'll be busy. He cares about Sakura too. Maybe I should call Li._ She walked over to the phone and picked it up for a moment. _No. I don't want to disturb his sleep. I hope Sakura's ok._ Putting down the phone, Tomoyo walked over to her bathroom. She washed her face and sorted through her thoughts, trying to keep herself calm. _Eriol is right. Sakura will be fine. I'm just worrying too much about her. That's all._ _I should go back to bed. It's eleven already. I'll get something to eat first._ As Tomoyo started towards the door, it flung open and admitted an older woman. 

"Miss Daidouji, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just had a dream. Will you go get me some warm milk please?" The maid nodded, and walked out.

A few minutes later, the same maid walked in and handed her a warm cup of milk. "Is there anything else I can get you, miss?"

"No, that's all, thank you." Tomoyo said calmly. She wasn't really paying attention to anything as her thoughts continued to drift to Sakura. _Eriol will be done tomorrow. We can look for her then._ She finished her milk, gave the empty cup back to her maid, and went back to bed. _I'll tell them about it tomorrow. Or, at least I'll tell Eriol. He always seems to know what to do._

* * *

Eriol scoured his books. _Where is it? I know I have the spell in one of these books! This isn't working. I'll go get something to eat first. _Deciding it was about time to take a break, Eriol went into his kitchen looking for some food. Suppi floated into the room. He stared sleepily at Eriol and grabbed a bowl of cereal. "You hungry too?" Eriol asked. 

"Yes. What are you doing up so late? It's nearly midnight." Suppi said, shoving a spoon full of tasteless cereal into his mouth.

"I'm searching for a spell. I need to open up a portal. Sakura's trapped in one of the Forbidden Realms. I'm not sure which one."

"Well, good luck. Most knowledge on those Realms is gone now. I hope you find what you're looking for," Suppi said tiredly as he finished his cereal. "Goodnight."

_I hope I find it too. Sakura needs to be rescued from there. That much I know. And I promised Tomoyo I'd find it by tomorrow. _Eriol looked through the pantry and decided on a bowl of noodles for dinner. He paused for a moment as he felt a strong magical force that disappeared just as soon as he felt it. _What was that?_ Eriol went back to his study and turned on his computer, neglecting his half-prepared dinner. _I could search the net for information, but it won't be there, _he thought hopelessly. Knowing he wouldn't find anything online, Eriol tried anyway. While searching through a page on werewolves and chuckling at the ignorance of most people, an email message popped up.

"I know what you're looking for. I have your answers. Meet me tonight, one o'clock sharp. Find me at the school." The message wasn't signed. _Hmm… It doesn't have a sender either. I wonder who it is. I'll go to the school. He sounds like he knows me pretty well. We shall see._

Eriol grabbed his coat and called to Suppi. "Spinel, come here. I need you to follow me. Don't interfere with what I'm doing no matter what. Understand? Good. Just follow me. Stay out of sight." Suppi nodded and Eriol left the house with Suppi floating along following out of sight. _Whoever this person is, he must be strong. He must be related to that magical force I felt just as I walked back to my study._

Eriol walked towards the school. I just need to find him. He looked down at his watch. _It's twelve thirty. He should be here any minute._ Eriol sat down on the steps in front of the school. He felt another powerful magical force and looked in the direction he had felt it. _Over there. I wonder who he is._ He walked over to the spot, looking down at his watch. _One o'clock. I don't see anyone._ He stood, looking around for a little while. He looked down at his watch again and something caught his eye. Lying on the floor, there was a book with a note attached to it. He picked it up and read the note. _"We won't meet just yet. This book has the spell which you are looking for. You didn't need to bring your pet Suppi with you. I'm not that dangerous."_ Eriol stared at the note. _How… how did he know who I brought with me? I must know who he is!_ He hurried back to his house with Suppi close behind him.

"What was that all about? You did feel that magic pulse right?" Suppi asked inquisitively.

"I don't know. I felt it." That was all Eriol said. He had too much on his mind at the moment to care. He went into his room and looked at his newly acquired knowledge. _Whoever he was, he gave me this._ He opened the leather bound book and began searching it for information. He found the spell that he was looking for and began the incantation.

"Powers of Fire,  
Powers of Earth,  
Open the Path,  
Create the Portal.

Powers of Wind,  
Powers of Water,  
Powers of Thunder,  
Release the Portal.

Powers of Light,  
Powers of Dark,  
Intertwine yourselves,  
Open the Portal."

Just as Eriol finished the incantation, a portal opened in front of him. Deciding that he needed more information before stepping through, he opened the book again, and looked through it, searching for the commands needed to direct the Portal to where he wanted it to go. A few hours later, he found all the proper incantations. After writing down everything he thought important, he put the book on one of his bookshelves. _How did he come by such a book? This information was lost 500 years ago. Unless… No, that can't be._ Eriol glanced at his wall clock. _Two thirty. Time for bed. At least I got something done._ He walked up to his room, took a shower, and went to bed, reciting the incantation in his head over and over again as he wondered who his mysterious benefactor was.

* * *

Did you like it? Questions? Comments? Email me and I'll be happy to answer any and all questions about the story, but I won't give away what happens next. You're welcome to guess. I'll tell you if you're right. 


	3. Traveling the Realms

Authors Note (A/N): This story takes place about a year after Sakura defeats Eriol. She is 12 in this story and in the sixth grade. Li never confessed to Sakura, and the 2nd movie didn't happen. Things in _italics _are either thoughts or emphasis.

**Chapter 3: Traveling the Realms**

Meiling awoke early, thinking about everything that had happened the night before. She had prepared a private jet to take her to Japan so she could meet with Li and hopefully provide some help for Sakura. _He better be waiting for me! And Sakura better still be alive…_ She wasn't sure of the whole story, even after what Li had told her. She walked to the jet and set off to find Li.

Arriving in Japan an hour later, Meiling went straight to Li's house. Li answered the doorbell and welcomed her in. "Li, tell me more about what happened. I want to help out too."

"I already told you everything, Meiling. Eriol said he'd have a spell by today to take us to Sakura, so we should go find him. First let's find Tomoyo. I hope she's not mad at me." Li looked down at the floor solemnly.

"Why would she be mad at you? What did you do this time?" Meiling stared at him angrily.

"Nothing. Let's go." Li didn't wait for her answer, he started running.

"Li! Wait up!" Meiling ran after Li, barely keeping up. _What did he do to make Tomoyo mad? He seems to get everyone mad at him._

* * *

Li continued to run. _I wish I didn't get her involved. My dream is worrying me. I'll tell Eriol about it. Maybe he'll know what it was really about._ He ran up to Tomoyo's large mansion and rang the doorbell. Tomoyo answered the door cheerfully. "Hi! Are you ready to go to Eriol's?"

"Tomoyo, why would you be mad at Li?" Meiling asked. "He mentioned hoping you weren't still mad at him. And, of course, he wouldn't tell me anything when I asked."

_Oh no! I wish she didn't come!_ Li thought, keeping his face rather composed.

"Oh, it's nothing. It really doesn't matter. I've forgiven him," Tomoyo said smiling.

"Let's go. I don't want to wait a second longer to save Sakura."

Li was relieved that Tomoyo didn't say anything and made a mental note to thank her later. He ran after the girls who had already begun to leave for Eriol's. When he arrived at Eriol's house and patiently knocked on the door, Eriol opened it and greeted them with a cheery "hello." A few minutes later, Li regained his impatience. "Eriol! You're done right? You better be!"

"Do you want to save Sakura?" Eriol demanded coolly. "Then listen, don't talk, and follow me" Eriol led them into his study and showed him the book he had found along with his notes. "Here, take this. I didn't look through all of it, so you'll have to figure things out as you go."

"Eriol, all you've done is give me books! Aren't you going to tell me what's going on?" Li asked, as impatiently as usual.

"Yes, books. Books are important. The book I just gave you has the incantation you need. It will open a portal to one of the Realms. I don't know where Sakura is or what Realm she's in. Here are the spells you will need to travel between the Realms," Eriol pointed to a page in the book. "This book will be useful; don't lose it."

Li held the book open to the page Eriol had pointed to. _Eriol said he didn't have a chance to loot through most of it. Maybe there's a spell in here that will let me find where Sakura's gone. I wonder what those other seven books he gave me are…_ He read the incantation aloud:

"Powers of Fire,  
Powers of Earth,  
Open the Path,  
Create the Portal.

Powers of Wind,  
Powers of Water,  
Powers of Thunder,  
Release the Portal.

Powers of Light,  
Powers of Dark,  
Intertwine yourselves,  
Open the Portal.

Path of Water,  
Ever changing,  
Show the way,  
To Water's Realm."

In front of him, a portal opened. Li looked at the Portal, or rather, the distorted wall behind the Portal. The Portal didn't have a distinct outline and its existence could only be detected by looking straight through it. It acted almost like a funhouse mirror or wavy glass as it distorted anything behind it.

"Well, here goes nothing. Let's walk through it together!" He took the hands of the girls and they stepped through together.

He had used the incantation that Eriol gave him for the Water Realm, hoping that whatever had taken Sakura would be there. Penetrating the surface of the Portal felt, to Li, like walking into a sheet of freezing water. He gasped as he stepped through, clenching the cold hands he held for warmth.

A moment later everyone emerged safely on the other side, still feeling the effects of the freezing cold barrier that had brought them here. They were standing on a small piece of land, about three yards long. There was what seemed to be a ruined temple near them. About five feet above the top of the ruins, there was the Portal that had brought them here. Aside from this small piece of land, there didn't seem to be anything else that was above water. There was no sky. Above them, there was only a dome of blue, shimmering water identical to what lay no more than two feet in front of them. A dim light, coming from nowhere in particular, shone on the place.

"Is everyone alright?" Li asked halfheartedly, with his mind still on finding Sakura.

"We're fine. What about you?" Concerned, Meiling walked over to Li as she asked him. "Tomoyo, are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Li and Tomoyo said at once. They looked at each other, feeling slightly embarrassed at having spoken identically.

Looking away from Tomoyo, Li observed the area around him. "This is the Realm of Water. I hope Sakura's here." As soon as he finished speaking, he took out his Lasin board, recited the incantation, and watched as the light shot off, down into the water. "I wonder how we get down there," Li said, half to himself and half to the girls.

"Li, remember the books that Eriol gave you? Have you read any of them yet?" Tomoyo asked Li, knowing what the answer would be.

"No, I haven't. I couldn't. I was too tired when I got home, and I just fell asleep. Then I was too busy hurrying to Eriol's house to read, but I have them with me. Let's each take a couple and look through them for something about the Water Realm. Maybe it has a spell for us. If not, we'll just have to try a different Realm." Li took out the seven books from his bag and unintentionally dropped the blue book. As soon as it hit the ground, the book began to glow an eerie, vivid blue.

"It's… beautiful," Tomoyo said, getting out her video camera. "Go pick it up Li. Maybe it's got a clue for us."

Li obeyed and walked over to the book. When he touched the book, the glowing lessened until only one page was still emanating the eerie blue. He opened the book to this page. It was in a language he couldn't understand. Weird symbols cluttered the page. He stared at it for a moment, before giving it to Meiling.

"What does it say? I can't read this." Meiling stood, staring at the jumble of symbols on the page in front of her. "Tomoyo! Stop recording. Do something useful!"

"I am. You want to be able to look back at everything we're going to do here, right? So I'm going to keep recording."

"Look, just stop recording! It won't do us any good! Come make yourself useful for a change!" Meiling was growing impatient with Tomoyo, who was still recording, ignoring what she said. She closed the book she held in her hands and threw it at her camera, hitting her just under her shoulder. "Stop being so obsessed with recording everything that we do! It's more important to save Sakura right now!"

"I know that, bu…"

"Will you two stop arguing? We need to find Sakura! We don't have time for you to yell at each other! Tomoyo, put the camera away! Now come here, I think I've found something." Li pointed to a picture in the thick book Eriol had given him just before they left. "Look right there." Li pointed to a small piece of land, roughly the same shape as what they were standing on. "I think that's where we are. Maybe this is a map."

"Li, Look out!" Tomoyo and Meiling both screamed as a monstrous, half-whale-half-falcon creature jumped out of the water and headed towards Li, who had just enough time to grab the book and jump back before the creature landed just a few inches in front of him. He drew his sword and pulled out his lightning _ofuda_, unleashing a large stream of lightning on the creature. The lightning rushed forward from the small _ofuda_, heading for the creature's left eye. Inches away from the creature, the lightning hit an invisible wall and disappeared. The creature, startled by the bright, flashing lightning, flapped its gigantic webbed wings, did a graceful back flip in the air, and dove back into the water.

"What was that?" Li asked, knowing that no one would answer him. "Let's get out of here," Li said, bringing to mind the image of the monstrous creature, with massive black, webbed wings and long sharp teeth. It looked like a whale, was roughly the size of a small shark, and had razor sharp talons protruding from it's underside. It had a bird-like tail with long, curling feathers rather than that of a whale. Li turned his attention back to the task at hand.

They searched for the proper spell among the notes that Eriol had given them. For a few seconds, they argued between going to the Realm of Air or the Realm of Earth. Their arguing was cut short as three whale-like creatures attacked them again. Li randomly chose one and read the incantation to the Portal.

"Path of Earth,  
Strong and sturdy,  
Create a path,  
To solid rock."

"Let's go! Don't just stand there!" Li cried as soon as he finished the incantation. They jumped off of the ruined temple, into the Portal. Again, they felt the freezing effects of the Portal as they entered, knocking the breath out of them. They fell through the Portal and landed on hard, dusty rock. Relieved that they had escaped the strange creatures, they got up slowly, surveying the land around them.

They were on top of a large rocky hill, standing next to another ruined temple. There was no sky above them, just more earth and rocks. As with the Water Realm, light seemed to emanate from nowhere, giving the land an almost ghastly glow. However, this Realm's light was much brighter than the Water Realm's and shone fiercely, illuminating the entirety of the Realm, showing the sharp features of cliffs and jagged rocks. Over the horizon, they saw what looked like a castle, rising up from the ground with tall towers and unsymmetrical spires. "Let's go over there. Maybe someone lives there," Li suggested as he took a step in that direction.

"Li, help! My foot's stuck," Meiling pleaded. Li turned around and decided to help her out. After trying repeatedly, and failing, to pull her foot out, he took out his sword with an almost evil smile on his face. "Wh-What are you going to do with that?"

"Well, we can't get your foot out… so…" Li said, pausing for a moment to revel in the look of horror on Meiling's face.

Meiling just stared at him, unable to comprehend what she thought she heard. As she realized what Li was implying, she started screaming at him. She got up, using all of her strength to pull her leg free, and kicked Li in the shins. "Are you crazy? You want to cut off my leg?"

Li winced in pain as Meiling's shoe connected with his shin. "Well," He said, in between sharp breaths. "It worked didn't it?"

Meiling stared at Li, then looked down at her bleeding foot, and stared at Li again. "YOU COULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT OF ANOTHER WAY?" Meiling screamed at him, before limping over to him to embrace him in her arms and tell him she was sorry for kicking him, all the while berating him on his lack of thoughtfulness.

"Your welcome," Li said, and started limping off towards the castle-like structure.

"Li, hold on. We've gotta think before we go off doing things. Use your Lasin board again. Maybe Sakura's not even in that direction." Tomoyo suggested. Li decided that it was a good idea, took out his Lasin board, and watched as the white light pointed in the opposite direction of the castle. Sighing dejectedly, Li walked off in that direction, looking back at Tomoyo who wore a semi-triumphant smile on her face.

"Li, you can't just leave me! I can barely walk!"

"At this rate, we'll never find Sakura! Let's go!" Li screamed at her as he began to grow angry. "Sakura could be in danger right now! We've got to find her as soon as we can!"

"So you're just going to leave me here? Just for Sakura? You'd risk my life?"

Li stood unmoving, not even daring to breathe. _This is way too much like that dream I had. I care about her too; it's just that I care about Sakura more! Is there really something wrong with that?_ Recovering from the initial shock of Meiling's words, he walked back towards Meiling and helped her up, supporting her. "Tomoyo, grab her other arm. We'll walk her like this."

"Li, I care about Sakura as much as you do. We haven't seen each other in about a year and the first thing I hear about her is that she's in danger. I know you're worried, but I want to help her too." Meiling said, on the verge of tears.

"It's ok. We'll find her," Tomoyo said, trying to convince herself as much as Meiling. "We'll find her. Don't worry."

"Let's get going. We're going to have to go to that castle now. We can't carry her all the time, and she needs somewhere to lie down. Let's hope that somebody can help us there." Li and Tomoyo carried Meiling off towards the castle. _I won't lose any of them. They're all important to me. I can't risk them just to save Sakura. I'll make sure they're all safe._

* * *

Sigma stood as he noticed a strange presence. _Hmm, I wonder what that is. Something with the ability to wield magic has come here. There hasn't been anyone new here in ages._ He got up and walked to the window in his room. Peering out of it, he saw three young kids, walking towards his castle. _The magic's coming from them. Who are they?_ Sigma turned away from the window and walked down the stairs, fuming at the audacity of them that would dare arrive without his permission. _Trespassers! They'd better have a good reason for being here!_

He walked to the large steel door and opened it. "Come in. You must be exhausted. Sit down, have some dinner," Sigma said as he welcomed in the three children who all wore a look of surprise on their face. They sat down at a long wooden table with a chair you might find in the throne room of a king at one end. "Sit down. What would you like to eat?"

"We're not hungry. We just need a place to rest until my friend's leg gets better. I hope we're not disturbing you," The boy with the brown hair said guardedly.

"No, not at all. I'll be glad to have you. I don't get many unexpected visitors around here." Sigma wasn't lying; he didn't get many visitors. _There's a good reason for it too, but these three don't know it yet. I will enjoy this immensely!_ "So, what are your names?"

"I'm Li," the brown haired boy said.

"I'm Tomoyo, and our friend here is Meiling," the girl with the long, wavy hair said. "We're sorry for intruding on your castle."

"It's okay. Stay as long as you'd like. Are you sure you don't want to eat something?" Sigma stood up and walked towards Meiling, putting on a mask of worry as he stared at her bloody leg. "Is there anything you'd like me to do to help her?"

"No, I don't think you can, unless you can magically heal her leg." The boy called Li said. "We just need somewhere to stay for a little while." Li stood up and walked over to Meiling. "Do you have a few rooms for us to stay in?"

"Of course I do. I only have a few servants in this castle. All the other rooms are open. No one's come here for quite some time, so you can have whichever room you want." Sigma said with a cheery smile on his face, masking his true feelings. "But first, let's eat. Servants! Please prepare for us a nice meal."

A short, plump woman answered Sigma's call, "As you wish, my lord Sigma. What would you like to have?"

"Salmon, for four. Make it _extra_ special for our guests here. We wouldn't want to disappoint them."

"I'll have the kitchen get to it right away. Is there anything else?"

"No, that'll be all. Make it quick," Sigma said as the plump lady walked out. "Please, sit down. I'll show you to your rooms after dinner."

"Okay, we are a bit hungry," Li said. "Come on Meiling. I'll help you to your seat."

"Thanks Li. I'm sorry I'm so much trouble."

Four tall waiters came out of the kitchen with their food. The one in front of Sigma whispered a message in Sigma's ear, "Everything will go as planned. They won't suspect a thing."

"Let's eat. I'm sure all of you will find it to be delicious," Sigma said to his guests. "So, what brings you here? Not too many people come here."

"We just stumbled onto this place. We'll leave as soon as we can," Li said while eating his fish. "This is delicious. What's in it?"

"Oh, nothing exotic. Just your everyday _benethan _root," Sigma said with an evil smile on his face. "The three of you won't be leaving any time soon."

"Wh…" Li said as he fell over, succumbing to the sleeping effects of the root. Tomoyo and Meiling stared at him for a moment longer before falling over sleepily themselves.

"Perfect. Good job my servants. Throw them into their cells. Make sure they don't escape. I will interrogate them personally when they wake up." With that, Sigma left the room and went back upstairs. _I _will_ know why they are really here! The Beast might have dinner today…_

* * *

Li was lying on a cold rock floor unconsciously. Next to him, Tomoyo and Meiling lay, stirring into consciousness. Tomoyo was the first to awake. Grunting and still slightly groggy from the _benethan_ root, she sat up and tried to think straight. _Where am I? _She thought as she got up and immediately fell back down to her knees, being still a little too drowsy to keep her balance. She crawled over to Meiling and attempted to wake her.

"Huh? Tomoyo? What's going on? Where are we?" Meiling asked, also recovering from the effects of the root.

"I don't know. Let's wake Li. Do you remember anything that happened?" Tomoyo asked as she crawled over to Li and shook him.

"No, I don't. Last thing I remember, we were talking to some Sigma guy. Why isn't Li waking up?" Meiling looked worried. Tomoyo crawled over to Li and tried to help Meiling wake her.

"Li, wake up!" Tomoyo asked, raising her voice a little as she violently shook him. "It's no use. We'll just have to wait for him to wake up. Just then, Li began to stir.

"Li? Are you ok?" Meiling asked with another worried look on her face. "Li, say something."

"What wrong? Why are we here? Where's Sakura?" Li said as he came to. He sat up and leaned against a wall, lifting a hand to his head. "Tomoyo? Meiling? Are you guys OK?"

"We're fine. Li, what are we doing here? I don't remember anything that happened," Tomoyo said.

"Last I remember, we were talking to Sigma and he offered us some dinner. I bet he poisoned it or something." Li was beginning to get mad. He reached for his sword and found that he didn't have it with him. "Do any of you know any way out of here?"

"Don't bother trying to find a way out. Come with me," A familiar voice commanded from behind the opening door. Sigma stepped into the room. He advanced on Tomoyo and grabbed her by her left elbow.

"Li! Help!" Tomoyo screamed, kicking and punching her captor who seemed to ignore her. Sigma pulled Tomoyo out of the cell and closed the door in Li's face.

"Tomoyo! Let her go you creep!" Meiling shouted through the bars at the top of the steel door.

"I'll return her soon. You two just sit where you are until I come back for you," Sigma said with a commanding voice. "Now, let's go." He pulled Tomoyo along behind him, into a dark, dimly lit room.

"What do you want? We haven't done anything to you!" Tomoyo screamed as she bit down on his hand.

"Stop struggling," Sigma said calmly, appearing not to have felt the bite. "It will only make things worse for you. If you answer my questions truthfully I won't hurt you. Much…" He pulled Tomoyo to a chair and sat her down, strapping her arms and legs to the chair. "Now tell me, what are you doing here?"

"We just stumbled onto here. We're not doing anything. Really," Tomoyo said, fearful that he would know she was lying. _I hope he's not the one that took Sakura. Sakura… I hope you're ok._

"Do you really think it's a good idea to lie to me? People don't just stumble into an ancient Realm. The only way to get here is by the incantations," Sigma said, raising his voice. "If you won't tell me…" He walked over to the fireplace and picked up a hot iron that had been sitting there. "I'll have to make you tell me. Now, tell me why you're really here."

Tomoyo stared at his hand in fear. _What am I going to do? If he's the one that took Sakura, he'll kill me if I tell him. But if I don't tell him, he might know I'm lying._ "Don't hurt me," she whimpered. "I'll tell you. We're here looking for our friend."

"You're here looking for your friend. And who is this 'friend' of yours?"

"Her name is Sakura, she's got green eyes and brown hair," Tomoyo said. _I hope he didn't take her._ "Have you seen her?"

"And how did your 'friend' get here? People don't just walk into places like this," Sigma said, adding, "You'd better not be lying to me. Bad things happen to people who lie to me."

"I'm not lying! I don't know how she got here. She just did!" Tomoyo began to tremble in fear as Sigma walked closer with a look of contempt on his face. "I'm not lying…" she whispered, unable to summon up the strength or courage to speak any more loudly.

"So, your friend just stumbled into this Realm, and the three of you, three children, are chasing after her? That has to be the worst lie I've ever heard. I'll give you one more chance. What are you doing here?"

"I'm not lying. That's really why we're here. I… We just want… want to save Sakura," Tomoyo said, beginning to cry as much from fear as from the thought of Sakura, screaming in the hands of this man.

"Let's say for a minute that I believe your little story. Tell me how you got the incantations to come here. They've been lost for centuries to all humans outside of the Realms."

"Our friend Eriol found them in a book and gave them to us."

"I saw that. How did he come by this book? The only people that would have access to such books would be Council members, and Eriol is not a name of a Council member."

"Council? I have no idea what you're talking about. Eriol never told me where he got it. He gave it to us right before he left."

"Hmmm… I'll accept your story. For now… You better not be lying. I have ways of finding out." Sigma walked over to Tomoyo, untied her, and took her back to her cell.

"You said her name was Sakura? I'll see if she's in this Realm. If she isn't, then you'd better come up with a really good excuse for why." Sigma opened the door to the cell Tomoyo was just in. "Don't try to escape!" He ordered as he threw Tomoyo in and shut the door.

"Tomoyo, what happened? Are you all right?" Meiling asked as Li walked Tomoyo in.

"How does he know about Sakura? You didn't tell him did you?" Li asked.

"He asked… He asked me questions. He… had a hot iron… said not to lie…" Tomoyo was crying, struggling to tell them what had happened. "I… I had to tell him… I…"

"It's ok Tomoyo. At least you didn't get hurt," Meiling said, shooting a look at Li.

"But… Sakura… What if he… if he's the one… we'll all die…" Tomoyo continued to cry, holding Meiling for comfort.

"Don't worry. I'm sure Sakura will be fine."

"I don't know anymore. If he took Sakura…" Tomoyo couldn't bring herself to say it. _He'll hurt her. Then he'll come for us._ Tomoyo slumped onto the floor, crying herself to sleep in Meiling's arms, thinking about Sakura and the pain she might be feeling.

"She'll be fine. We'll get out of this, and we won't leave without her."

"Meiling's right. We'll save Sakura," Li said. "She'll be fine." Li walked over to Tomoyo and put a hand on her shoulder. "She'll be fine…"

* * *

Did you like it? Questions? Comments? Email me and I'll be happy to answer any and all questions about the story, but I won't give away what happens next. You're welcome to guess. I'll tell you if you're right. 


	4. The Sphienent and the Ring

Authors Note (A/N): This story takes place about a year after Sakura defeats Eriol. She is 12 in this story and in the sixth grade. Li never confessed to Sakura, and the 2nd movie didn't happen. Things in _italics _are either thoughts or emphasis.

Previously:

Sakura was been sucked into a weird, dark place known as the Dark Realm where she met a boy named Shadow. Li, with Eriol's help, has, along with Tomoyo and Meiling, entered various Realms to try to find her.

**Chapter 4: The Sphienent and the Ring**

"Sakura, wake up," a calm voice said.

Sakura got out of bed. "Shadow? What time is it?" She asked, turning to the clock. "It's only six thirty. Why do you want me awake so early?"

"I think I may have liked it better when you were afraid to ask questions…" Shadow said as he opened the door he was standing behind. "Come on, let's go."

"Ok, I'm up. What are we going to do?" Sakura asked, unable to help her curiosity.

"Come. Breakfast will be ready in about five minutes. Don't be late if you want some."

"I'll just follow you. Why is it so dark out? There's still no light, and it's six thirty already."

"I'm not going to explain. Not now at least. Maybe after breakfast I will. You coming?" Shadow asked as he walked away.

"Wait up!" Sakura yelled as she ran after Shadow. _Where did he go? He can't have gone that quickly. _Shadow had disappeared. She decided to go to the dining room and wait there for breakfast. _I hope breakfast is as good as dinner was._ She walked over to the table and sat down. Moments later, Shadow walked into the room with a tray of pancake toppings and a stack of pancakes.

"I'd have thought you'd want to change into your normal clothes. You're just going to wear your pajamas all day?" Shadow asked as he set down the tray.

Sakura looked down at what she was wearing and flushed. "I… I was going to… change later," she said, attempting to gain back some dignity.

"Don't lie to me. It doesn't matter. Here, have some pancakes. How many would you like?"

"I'll take two, thank you." Shadow expertly tossed her the pancakes and pushed the toppings towards her as she grabbed her butter knife, spread some butter, and poured grape jelly over her pancakes. "So, why is it so dark?" Sakura asked again.

"It just is. Don't ask questions while you eat, it's impolite to talk with your mouth full," Shadow intoned as he turned away and walked back to the kitchen.

_He's so weird. I thought the rule was to not ask questions at all…_

"It is!" Shadow yelled from the kitchen. Sakura gave a start, jumping a few inches from her seat, nearly spilling the honey on herself.

"Don't do that!" Sakura yelled.

"Do what?" Shadow asked, suddenly behind her.

Sakura jumped into the air, almost a foot above her chair this time and gave a small scream, whipped her head around, and stared indignantly at Shadow's silhouette in the darkness behind ehr. "That! Don't just read my mind or sneak up on me like that!"

"What would you have me do instead? I could lock you in your room and not talk to you. I could throw you into a cold dungeon cell and make sure the only living things you see are the mice down there. Would you like that?" Shadow asked with a sadistic smile on his face.

Sakura turned away and returned to her pancakes. _Stupid Shadow… _she thought as she shoved pancakes into her mouth.

"I think I'm being rather nice. I suppose I could throw you into the dungeon. That would justify your anger…" Shadow trailed off, satisfied with the look on Sakura's face. "Would you like something to drink?"

"What?" Sakura asked, completely and utterly confused.

"Would you like something to drink?" Shadow asked again.

"You don't make any sense! I thought you were talking about throwing me in the dungeon! Why did you start talking about drinks? Can't you stay on the same topic for more than a second?"

"Back to the dungeon idea it is. Let's go." Shadow said, advancing towards Sakura.

Sakura immediately got out of her chair and began to run towards her room when she found that she couldn't move from the head down. "Let me go! Please?" she asked meekly. Shadow continued to walk towards her, not saying anything. A dark aura began to engulf Shadow as Sakura's arms began to move involuntarily. "What… are… you… doing?" Sakura asked as one of her hands moved towards Shadow, who immediately grabbed her wrist and led her in the opposite direction of her room.

"You wanted to go back to the dungeon idea, so we're going to the dungeon. I'm sure you'll enjoy it there since you're so eager to be there," Shadow said coldly.

Sakura gained back her ability to move as Shadow pulled her arm. She began to flail wildly, attempting to break free. "I… I'm sorry… Please let me go. Please? I don't want to go to the dungeon." Sakura pleaded, tears coming to her eyes from the pain of Shadow's grip on her arm.

Shadow let go of her arm, causing her to stumble backwards and land on the hard wooden floor. "Are you sure you don't want to go? You seemed awfully enthusiastic about it a minute ago. You wouldn't let go of the subject. You were practically _trying_ to get yourself thrown into solitary confinement."

Sakura, relieved that Shadow had let her go, got up to her knees and started panting. _I wish Li were here…_

"Stop crying," Shadow said simply, startling Sakura who hadn't realized the tears in her eyes. "Come on, get up." Shadow walked over to Sakura and grabbed her arm again. Sakura let herself be led by Shadow back to her chair, blinking away her tears. "Would you like something to drink?" Shadow asked again.

"Wh… What do you have?" Sakura said apprehensively.

"I can have pretty much anything you ask for. Milk, juice…" Shadow trailed off.

"I don't want anything. I'll go back to my room now," Sakura said, managing to suppress her tears for the moment.

"Go ahead. I'm not holding you back. If you need anything let me know," Shadow said as Sakura left the room.

Sakura walked down the hallway to her room. She opened the door, walked inside and collapsed onto the bed. The tears she had been holding back spilled out in a torrent now. "Li…" she whispered softly.

"You miss him?"

Sakura fell off of the bed, startled. She looked at Shadow standing in the doorway and quickly masked her crying behind a nearly composed, confident face.

"It's not a bad idea to answer those whom are in power over you. It's probably not very smart to ignore them. But if you'd like your privacy…" Shadow turned and headed out of the room.

"C-Can you… bring… him here?" Sakura asked hopefully.

"You don't think he'd want to see you with _that_ face, do you? Yes, I can bring him here."

Sakura gained back some hope. "Will you?" she asked, her composure slipping as tears came back to her eyes.

"No," Shadow said. "No, I don't think I will." Shadow walked away, leaving Sakura alone with her thoughts.

"Shadow, wait!" Sakura cried as she ran after him.

"What? Going to beg me to bring Li here? I won't do it."

"What do I have to do to get you to do this? I'll do anything," Sakura said, as sincerely as possible.

"No. Stop asking." Shadow walked on and Sakura followed close behind. "And don't ever tell me you'll do anything, because I promise you'll regret it."

"Shadow…" Shadow grew angry and turned around and faced Sakura, a dark aura enveloping him.

"No," he said once more, with his voice calm, if not his outer presence. "I won't bring him here, and it's probably not a good idea to keep this up."

Sakura stepped back, tears welling up to her eyes again. "There's nothing I can do?" Sakura asked, still clinging to her dying hope.

"No," Shadow said and walked away, disappearing with his lantern.

Sakura stood there, surrounded by the dark that had crept up on her as Shadow left with his lantern. _How do I get back? I wish Li were here._ Sakura turned around and decided she would try to find her way back. Slowly, she began to walk forward and ran into a wall. _Ow! _Sakura thought as she stumbled backwards. She reached into her pocket and took out her Light card. She released her wand and shouted, "Light!" Light emerged from its card and immediately tried to light the room. As the room lit up, however, Light was suddenly forced back into her Card form. _What? Why didn't it work?_ Sakura began to panic and fell to her knees to pick up the Card on the ground. _How am I going to get back? I can't see anything!_

"You can't? I thought for sure you'd be able to see perfectly in the dark. Ready to go back to your room?"

Sakura gasped and looked over to where she had heard the voice. "Shadow?" Sakura asked, more than a little relieved.

"Let's get going."

"I can't see! What happened to your lantern?"

"You coming? Just follow the sound of my voice."

"Shadow! I can't see! Shadow?" Sakura said as she attempted to follow Shadow's receding voice. "Shadow? Hello?"

"Follow…" Shadow said, his voice becoming a whisper.

Sakura walked towards Shadow's voice. Suddenly, she heard a noise behind her and stopped. "Who's there? Shadow?"

Two small red eyes appeared behind her as she looked over her shoulder, causing her to let out a scream. The creature approached her as it chuckled evilly. "What is someone like you doing out here, and so _alone?_ You're practically asking for trouble here in the Dark Realm."

"Wh-who are you?" Sakura asked, backing away from the advancing red eyes.

The creature extended one of its tentacles towards Sakura, binding her wrists together. It took another tentacle and wrapped it around Sakura's middle, holding her arms behind her. "Come with me," the creature said, tightening its grip on Sakura.

"Let me go!" Sakura said. Tears came to Sakura's eyes again as the creature's grip tightened. _This must be the hundredth time I've cried…_Sakura thought, willing herself to stop. She screamed as the creature tightened its grip on her again, pulling her along. "Let me go!"

"Why? Don't you want to leave this wretched place?" The creature pulled Sakura, dragging her on the floor behind it. "Get up! Don't make me pull you!"

"Help! Somebody!" Sakura screamed before the creature wrapped a tentacle around her mouth.

"Be quiet! I don't need that Shadow kid helping you out!"

"You should be more respectful to those more powerful than you…" Shadow said as he seemingly materialized in front of the creature. "Let her go," he said calmly.

"You! Why can't you mind your own business?"

"I am. She _is_ my business. Leave her alone, or feel my wrath!" Shadow said as a dark aura surrounded him again. "Any objections?"

"Grrr… You win this time, Sakura, but I'll be back for you!" the creature shouted as it retreated into the darkness and disappeared.

Sakura fell to her knees, torn between thanking Shadow or getting mad at him for letting it happen in the first place. She wiped the tears from her face and turned to look at Shadow. It was still dark, but she could just barely make out Shadow's outline. "What was that?" she asked, half-confident that Shadow wouldn't hurt her for doing so.

"Never mind. It's not important. Don't go wandering off by yourself again."

"Wandering off by myself? What are you talking about? You're the one that left me here!" Sakura said with fire in her eyes.

"I told you to follow my voice and you chose not to."

"I tried to! But you moved too quickly!" Sakura said indignantly. "Why can I see better all of a sudden?" she asked as she realized she could make out where Shadow was standing.

"This may be the Dark Realm, but that doesn't mean that it's always pitch black. Now let's go."

"Fine!" _Stupid Shadow. _Sakura thought to herself.

Just then, Shadow turned on her, a dark aura surrounding him. "What was that?"

"Wh-what was what?" Sakura asked, already knowing the answer. _Oh no! I'm so dead._ Sakura thought to turn around and run, but thought better of it. _I hope this doesn't hurt…_

Anger flashed through Shadow's eyes as he unleashed a bolt of dark energy towards Sakura. Sakura attempted to sidestep the bolt, but it caught her and flung her back into the wall. "I saved you from that hideous creature and this is how you repay me? You ever wonder what might've happened had I not saved you? Do you know what it does to the people it finds? Would you like for me to leave you for it again?" Shadow asked rhetorically.

"I'm s-sorry." Sakura said, rubbing her backside as she felt the pain from ramming into the wall. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You'd better be!" Shadow said, still angry. Then, in a softer voice, he added, "Let's go."

Sakura got up and followed him. _I hope he forgives me. That was scary…_ she thought as she walked along behind Shadow.

They arrived at her room and Shadow opened the door, letting her in. "Change into something that you can run around in," Shadow said as he left.

Sakura sat down on her bed and contemplated escaping. _He said I could escape through the window. If I try and he catches me… I wish I knew what he wanted with me!_ Sakura went over to the dresser and picked out some clothes. She quickly changed into them and sat on her bed, waiting patiently for Shadow. A few minutes later, Shadow came in.

"Let's go. You better not get me mad again."

Sakura followed him as she did when they first met. She kept her eyes on the floor, fearful that he would look at her and catch her looking back. She tried to keep any and all thoughts out of her mind for fear that Shadow might hurt her.

"I hope you changed into something you feel comfortable running around in. If you didn't you're going to have a very hard time." Shadow's sudden speech startled Sakura before she answered with a simple, "I did." Shadow smiled and opened a door. "Good. Go in," he commanded, not allowing for any objections.

Sakura entered the room and turned to ask Shadow what was going on, only to find that the door she had entered through was no longer there. "Shadow? Hello?" she asked, feeling very vulnerable in the dark room without Shadow there to protect her. _Where is he? Why do I want him here? I should be happy he's not here… It's because he saved me. I know he doesn't want to hurt me… What am I supposed to do?_ Sakura decided to try her Light card again. As she took out her card, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

"Sakura, come here. I miss you."

Sakura recognized the voice as Li's and ran after it. "Where are you? Li?" she asked, listening intently for a response. None came and she ran off to where she had last heard the voice. "Li?" she asked again.

"Sakura, where are you?" a different voice asked.

"Tomoyo?" The voice came from the same direction as Li's had. She ran after it, hoping beyond all hope that they were there. Suddenly, she stopped. _Shadow said he wouldn't bring Li here, but I just heard his voice. It can't be them. Shadow wouldn't do something like that, would he?_ Sakura turned around to head the other way, suddenly fearful of what might be imitating her friends' voices. As she turned, she saw two red eyes floating in front of her. "Aaaaahhh!" She screamed, recognizing the eyes. "You again! Get away from me!" Sakura turned around and ran. _Is this what Shadow meant when he said to change into something that I'd be comfortable running in? _Sakura thought incredulously. She turned her head to see if the red eyes were still behind her. Relieved that she had put some distance between her and the eyes, she gained back some strength and ran at full speed away from the creature.

"You can't escape. I'll find you no matter where you go."

"Leave me alone!" she yelled into the dark just as she saw a dark solid shape in front of her. Realizing that the tall dark outline in front of her was a wall, she skidded to a stop and turned right. "Shadow! It's not funny anymore! I said I was sorry!" she cried in desperation. Immediately, Sakura was standing back at the doorway as if nothing had happened.

"Something wrong?" Shadow asked in a mock-concerned voice.

"What just happened? I was just running from that thing…" Sakura was dumbfounded.

"None of that really happened. But it will if you don't want me around. This room is extremely useful for creating illusions and letting you deal with them. If I leave you alone from now on, you will be spending most of your life running away from that _sphienent_. It was very amusing," Shadow said, giving her a look that dared her to get angry.

Sakura held her temper. Suddenly feeling hungry, she changed the subject. "When will we have lunch?"

"And you yell at me for not staying on one subject for more than a second!" Shadow said with a laugh, starting towards the dining room. "Come on, let's get you some food."

_That's strange… I could've sworn we turned a different way to get here._

"We did. This realm changes constantly unless I stop it. Only certain places will remain the same all the time. What do you want for lunch?"

"Ummm… what do you have? Can I try some of the other stuff on that menu last night? The pork sounded good."

"What do you mean it sounded good? All it said was 'Pork and Rice.' What sounds so good about that?"

"Can't you just take a compliment?"

"So you want the pork?" Shadow asked, changing the subject back to lunch.

Sakura stared at him blankly for a few seconds. "Yes, I'll try the pork."

Shadow walked into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he walked out with a plate of food. "I ate while I watched you run away in terror from the _sphienent_. It was very amusing. Made the meal a hundred times better," Shadow said with a smirk on his face.

Sakura ignored his comment and started eating her food, savoring every delicious bite. "Shadow," she said in between mouthfuls. "What do you want with me?"

"You know I'm not going to answer that. You'll find out when I choose to tell you. Don't ask again," Shadow warned in a calm voice. "Here," he said handing Sakura a sheet of paper.

"Whashts thiths?" Sakura asked with her mouth full. Swallowing, Sakura tried again. "What's this?"

"It's a schedule for you. You've mainly got free time to sit and do what you want, but there are times when you have to be somewhere. You'll be following that every day unless I say otherwise. Would you like dessert?"

"No thanks. I'll go back to my room now." Sakura walked away and went back into her room. _I've gotta try something. So far none of my cards have worked. _Sakura took out Fiery and released her staff. "Fiery!" she yelled. "Go light the candles." Fiery shot tendrils of fire at the candles, lighting them, and returned to its card form as it finished. _Well, that worked. I wonder why Light didn't work out in the hallway._ She took out her Light card and called on it to light the room. Light came out of its card for a few seconds before returning again to its Card again, failing to light the room.

"Confused?" Shadow asked from the doorway.

Startled, Sakura let out another tiny scream. "Were you watching the whole time?"

"No, just after you used Fiery. Light doesn't work because you're in the Dark Realm. The powers of Light and Dark have always been against each other, and so when you're in the Dark Realm, Light won't work most of the time."

Sakura understood. She sat down on her bead, exhausted from using as much magic as she had. "I'm tired. Do I have to follow the schedule today?"

"No. We'll start that tomorrow. If you want dinner just let me know. I'll hear you," Shadow said as he left. "Oh, something else. Here." Shadow tossed Sakura a half-gold half-silver circle on a cotton-twine necklace. "You might want to keep that with you."

"What is it?" Sakura asked. She stared at the necklace with the heavy ring for a while before realizing that Shadow had disappeared again. _I'm too tired to deal with this right now. I'm going to bed._ Sakura yawned as she dozed off into a world of dreams.

_

* * *

Where am I? Sakura wondered. She stood in the middle of a ring of cold, blue fire. __I don't feel any heat. Why is the fire blue? What's going on?_ She took a few steps forward until she was right next to the ring and extended a hand to touch the fire. _It's _cold_! What is it?_Sakura wondered. She stood in the middle of a ring of cold, blue fire. She took a few steps forward until she was right next to the ring and extended a hand to touch the fire. cold 

Sakura took a step through the fire. In front of her floated a half-gold half-silver ring. She reached out for it and it moved away from her, avoiding her touch. "Wait!" she cried as the ring floated away.

"Sakura…" a ghostly voice whispered. "I've been waiting for you…"

_Huh? What was that?_ Sakura walked towards the voice cautiously, releasing her wand as she did so. In front of her, the landscape suddenly changed. Rolling hills green with grass surrounded her. A gentle breeze blew through the cherry trees causing the blossoms to slowly descend to the ground. The cherry trees sat on top of the hills and Shadow appeared, sitting with his back to a tree.

"Sakura, what are you doing here?" Shadow asked with an odd pleasant smile on his face as he noticed her.

"Shadow? I've never seen you smile like that. What's going on? Where am I?" Sakura asked while backing away from Shadow.

"What do you mean? Don't you remember me? You seem to remember my name…" Shadow trailed off and walked over to a cherry tree in full bloom. "They're beautiful aren't they? You really deserve the name…"

_What's going on? Shadow's acting so weird._ "Shadow? Umm… what are you doing?"

Shadow had walked over to a clear, blue stream. He cupped his hands and brought up some water. "Wonderful place isn't it? Thirsty?" Shadow asked.

"Not really. Shadow, what's going on?"

"What do you mean? Did you get knocked out or something? Are you ok?" he asked. He drank the water in his hands and walked over to feel Sakura's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever. Come on, let's get you some water." Shadow smiled at her as he pulled her along by the hand. "What's wrong? The water's very clean."

"I… I'm not thirsty." Sakura pulled her hand away. Suddenly, the ring appeared again. _What is that? _"Shadow, what's the ring over there?" Sakura asked in a dreamy voice as if entranced by the ring.

"Hmmm? What ring?" Shadow asked walking over to Sakura and taking her hand again.

"That one right there. It's floating in the air over there. It's kinda tugging at me, telling me to go to it."

"Are you sure you're ok? There's no ring over there. Sakura?" Shadow said concernedly as Sakura continued to advance towards the ring.

_Come… Your destiny awaits you. Come to me, and I will show you._ The thought came from the ring, tugging at Sakura's soul. Sakura was powerless resist it and walked towards the ring in a trancelike state, unable to focus on anything else.

"Sakura? Where are you going? Hello?"

Sakura ignored everything. All of her focus was on the ring. She walked up to it and reached for it again. The ring backed up a couple of feet and hovered for a moment before moving slowly away from Sakura. _Come to me. I will show you…_

"Sakura! Don't go that way!" Shadow yelled, too late. Sakura walked onto a rope bridge suspended across a canyon with no visible bottom. Half way across, the trance broke and she realized where she was standing. The bridge creaked with her weight, threatening to collapse. Too scared to even breathe, the thought of using her cards to escape never came to her mind. She held her breath, hoping it would keep her from falling. A strong wind picked up and blue fire leapt onto the rope from the far side of the canyon.

"Shadow! Help me!" Sakura said, holding tightly to the rope. The blue fire ate away at the rope on Sakura's left side, causing it to snap. "Aaaaaaahhhhh!" Sakura screamed as her feet fell out from below her. All that was holding her up now were her hands. "Shadow!" she screamed as the wind blew the fire onto the other rope.

"Sakura! Hold on!" Shadow said as he took out a gray and black card. Shadow mumbled some words Sakura couldn't hear and ended them with a loud, clear, "Float!" Suddenly, Sakura felt lighter than air. She floated upwards on a large bubble and landed next to Shadow.

"That… That was… a… Clow Card?" Sakura asked astonished. "How did you? What? Huh?"

"No time to explain. Let's go."

"Wait! I have to know. What's going on? Tell me!" Sakura pleaded. "Please?"

"Not now. Something's coming, and I don't think both our sets of Cards can do anything about it. Come on, let's go!" Shadow said, grabbing Sakura's arm and pulling her away from the canyon.

Sakura tried to pull her arm away from Shadow. "Ow! Let go!" she shouted as Shadow tightened his grip. "I'll follow, just let me go!"

Shadow let go of Sakura. They were back at the cherry blossom trees when Shadow sat Sakura down. "We're should be safe here for a while. I'm sorry I hurt you. Are you ok?"

Sakura stared at Shadow, completely overwhelmed by what she had just heard. "S-Sorry? What did you say?" She shrank back away from Shadow. _What's going on here? How does he have Clow Cards? What happened back there? What was that ring? Why is he acting like this?_

"Sakura, you seem different. I can't quite put…"

Suddenly, out from behind one of the trees, the ring appeared. It headed straight for Sakura, wrapping itself around her stomach and arms. A surge of electricity ran through her body. "Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed as pain beyond anything she had ever felt hit her.

* * *

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" Sakura sat bolt upright in her bed. _Where am I?_

"Sakura? What's wrong?" Shadow opened the door and walked in. "Why are you screaming?"

"N-Nothing… I… just had… a bad dream. That's all. I'm fine," Sakura said as she tried to calm herself.

"You don't want my help. Alright, I'll leave. It's still early. Do you want dinner?"

"No, I'm tired. Good night." Sakura fell back onto her bed and entered a less eventful sleep as Shadow stood over her.

"Good night," he whispered as she fell asleep.

* * *

Confused? Hehe Glad you're still reading. Remember to email me any questions or comments. I really appreciate it 


	5. Hopeful Discoveries

Authors Note (A/N): This story takes place about a year after Sakura defeats Eriol. She is 12 in this story and in the sixth grade. Li never confessed to Sakura, and the 2nd movie didn't happen. Things in _italics _are either thoughts or emphasis.

Previously:

Sigma captured Li, Tomoyo and Meiling as they ventured through the Earth Realm. Meanwhile, Sakura encountered a creature known as a s_phienent _in the Dark Realm. Later that day, she went to bed and had a startling dream.

**Chapter 5: Hopeful Discoveries**

Sakura sat up in bed. _What time is it? Twelve thirty? _She got out of bed and changed out of her pajamas. _I hope I don't wake Shadow. He might be mad at me if I did so…_

"I won't be. And you won't wake me," Shadow said from the dark on the opposite side of the room.

Sakura leapt into the air and let out a loud scream. "Shadow! Don't do that!"

"Last time you said that to me, I believe something bad happened to you. What was it again?"

"Sorry. You just startled me. H-How long were you standing there?" Sakura asked a little embarrassed at being seen in her pajamas.

"Standing? Since I started talking, but I've been here since you woke up screaming earlier. You want my help now?"

"Can we talk about it over dinner? I'm… I'm a little hungry," she said as her stomach growled.

"Sure. Let's go."

_Should I ask him? That was such a weird dream. I bet he already knows what it was about. Maybe he can tell me what it means…_ Sakura thought as she walked along behind Shadow. _Why would he have Clow Cards?_ Suddenly, she remembered the ring that Shadow had tossed her before she went to bed. She took it out of her pocket and let out a gasp. _Th-This ring! In my dream, it… it…_ Sakura stopped inches away from running into Shadow. "Wh-Why did you stop?" she asked, fearful of his answer.

Hesitantly, Shadow replied. "It's nothing. Let's go," he said as he walked towards the dining room.

Sakura walked in behind him and sat herself down at the table, a little unnerved by Shadow's hesitation. "Can you just get me a bowl of cereal? I don't really feel like a meal right now."

"Sure," Shadow said and walked into the kitchen. A few seconds later, he walked out with Sakura's favorite cereal and a carton of milk. "So, what are you going to tell me? You don't have to."

"Thank you," Sakura said as she poured herself some milk. "I had a dream about you and that ring you gave me before I went to bed. What is that ring?"

"I can't tell you. Not yet at least. You'll have to figure that out as you go. Are you going to tell me more about this dream of yours?"

"It was… weird. Ummm… do you have… Clow Cards?" Sakura asked, staring intently at Shadow.

"Why do you ask?" Shadow asked, staring back at her coldly.

"In my dream, I fell down a canyon or something and you used the Float card to bring me back up. So, do you have any?"

"No, I don't have any Clow Cards. Was there anything else in your dream?"

"Well, the ring that you gave me was in it. It seemed to call out to me and at the end right before I woke up. The ring bound my arms and zapped me with something. You really can't tell me what the ring you gave me is?"

"No, I can't. I think it's a good idea to get you back to bed now. You haven't looked at that schedule I gave you, have you? Take a good look at it. It starts tomorrow. You better not be late to anything."

Sakura finished her cereal. "Ok, good night," she said and went back to her room for bed. _I wonder if he lied to me…_ She walked into her room and decided to take a quick look at the schedule before taking a shower and going to bed. She took out the crumpled schedule and read over it quickly.

"_**6:30 : Wake up, breakfast  
8:00 : Test (I'll tell you where to meet me)  
11:00 : Lunch  
6:00 : Dinner  
Any and all extra time may be used for whatever activities you choose."**_

_Six thirty? I won't get _any_ sleep tonight!_ She thought as she walked off to take a shower before bed.

_What did he mean by test? What could he possibly have to test me on? I guess I'll find out tomorrow…_She set the alarm for six fifteen to make sure she wouldn't be late and went back to bed.

The alarm woke Sakura at six fifteen. _Good, I'm not going to be late. _She got up quickly, changed into some comfortable clothes for the day, and found her way through the dark to the breakfast table. "Shadow? Are you here?"

"Yes. I'm glad you're not late," he said as Sakura sat down. "Pancakes?"

"Sure. I'll have a few," Sakura said smiling at Shadow.

"Here. If you can't eat it all, you don't have to." Shadow had given her a large stack of about eight pancakes.

"Ummm… ok…" Sakura said, staring at the stack in front of her. She grabbed the first four off the stack and put it on her plate. She poured herself some maple syrup and started eating.

"Any other odd dreams last night?"

"No, but I still don't understand the one I had. Why can't you tell me about it?"

"I can't so don't bother asking anymore. I'll leave you for now. When you're done, put your plate in the kitchen sink and you have free time until eight. We'll meet here in the dining room. See you then," Shadow said as he disappeared into the dark.

Sakura stared at the space where Shadow had been. _I wonder what will happen at eight…_ she thought as she finished her four pancakes. She walked into the kitchen, left the remaining pancakes on the table, put her plate into the sink and started looking for the refrigerator. When she found it, she poured herself a glass of milk, drank it and went back to her room. _What am I going to do for the next half hour? _

Sakura sat down on her bed. _I'm so tired. I wonder what Shadow's going to do to me, _she thought as she fell asleep on her bed. Half an hour later, she woke up and looked sleepily at the clock. _It's almost eight. At least I didn't oversleep. I'd better get going, _she thought relieved. Sakura got out of bed and walked to the dining room to find out what Shadow was going to test her on.

"You're not late. That's a little surprising," Shadow said as she entered the room. "Come on." Shadow walked away from the dining room with a lantern. He led Sakura down a series of hallways until he stopped in front of a metal door.

"What are you testing me on?"

"Did you bring your cards? I'm going to see how strong your magic is. Walk into the room and be ready. Let's hope you don't get too hurt."

Sakura released her star wand and prepared herself nervously to walk into the room. "What's in there?"

"You'll find out in a minute. Good luck," Shadow said as he pushed Sakura into the room.

Sakura walked into the room, more than a little afraid of what might happen. _What is he doing?_ Sakura prepared herself for the worst and got out her Fly card from her pouch. Suddenly, she felt a surge of magical energy from where the door should have been. _What was that? It almost felt like a Clow Card!_ She thought as she turned around and saw two red eyes floating in the air.

Sakura gasped and shouted, "Fly!" Wings sprouted from her back and she flew away from the creature that she knew must be a _sphienent_. _He can't be serious! He wants me to fight that thing?_ Sakura continued to fly away from the advancing red eyes when a familiar alien thought came to her. _You can't win by just running. You have to fight._ She turned to face the _sphienent_ and called on her Arrow card. Arrow emerged from its card and shot a torrent of glowing arrows at the two red eyes which flashed and disappeared moments before the arrows struck. Seconds later, they rematerialized in front of her.

"You can't win against me! Don't even try!" the _sphienent _hissed at Sakura as it shot out a tentacle to grab her wand.

"Sword!" Sakura shouted and her wand became a sharp, double-edged sword just as the creature wrapped its tentacle around it.

"Aaaaaaaahhh! You'll pay for that!" it said as its eyes began to glow a deep red. Suddenly, the form of the _Sphienent_ was visible as a red glow surrounded its silhouette. "You'll be sorry!" it said and shot three of its tentacles towards Sakura.

Sakura weaved between the glowing tentacles which she could clearly see thanks to the red glow. She raised her sword and struck at one of the tentacles near her. The sword hit the red outline of the tentacle and stopped, bouncing off the red aura. The tentacle continued to propel itself towards Sakura who had just enough time to fly away and evade its grasp. _What am I supposed to do? I can't hurt it! _Sakura searched desperately for a solution. "Power!" she yelled as she stabbed the card with the tip of her sword. The Power Card took effect and filled Sakura with strength. She raised her sword again and slashed at a tentacle. The sword met some resistance as it hit the glowing red outline, but continued through it, cutting off the tentacle where she hit. _It worked!_

"Aaaaaaaahhh!" the _sphienent_ cried as the end of its tentacle fell to the ground. It unleashed the rest of its tentacles and sent them all to Sakura. "You won't escape this!" it cried as its six remaining tentacles all converged on Sakura.

"Shield!" Sakura cried desperately. The tentacles hit the shield and bounced off the first time. As they hit again, the shield began to weaken. _I've gotta think of something to do! _Sakura thought as she searched her Cards for something that might help her. "Windy! Fiery!" she yelled hoping that this last attempt would bring down the _Sphienent._ Windy and Fiery intertwined and drove straight for the _Sphienent's_ main body. They struck with tremendous force, causing the creature to back away for a few seconds before continuing its enraged attacks on Sakura's shield.

As Windy and Fiery headed for the creature's body again, its glowing tentacles broke through Sakura's shield and wrapped themselves around her body, sending a surge of electricity through her. "Aaaaaaaahhh!" she screamed as the immense pain hit her. All of a sudden, the creature disappeared and dropped her exhausted body on the ground. She struggled to sit up when she saw Shadow standing in front of her with an outstretched hand for Sakura.

"Good job. You put up a pretty good fight. You might want some rest before tonight though," Shadow said as he knelt down beside Sakura to help her up.

"Shadow?" Sakura asked weakly before fainting in his arms.

"I'll take you to your room. I didn't think you'd even last as long as you did against it. You may still have a chance…"

* * *

"Li, pacing isn't going to help any! Just sit still for a while!" Meiling said staring at Li walking back and forth across the cell they were in.

"We have to find a way out! Maybe Sigma can't do anything to us. I could use my _ofudas_ against him and he'd be completely helpless!" Li thought aloud to himself.

"Li, I don't think he's as helpless as you think. Face it. We're locked in here and we won't get out until he lets us. Sit down, Sakura _will_ be fine. You said so yourself," Tomoyo said as she walked over to Li. "Come on."

"Fine," Li said and sat down on the bench in the room just as a knock came on the door.

"Tomoyo, come here," came Sigma's voice after the knock.

Tomoyo stood up and walked towards the door, fear showing in her eyes. "Don't worry, Li," she said as she walked through the open door.

"Come on," Sigma said, grabbing Tomoyo's wrist and pulling her along behind him.

"Did you find her?" Tomoyo asked.

"No, and you know what that means. We're going to try this again," Sigma said as he strapped Tomoyo to the chair again. "Why are you here?" Sigma asked in a relatively calm voice.

"I told you! We're looking for Sakura! Why don't you believe me?"

"Where is she then? No one has come through any of the portals in this Realm except for the three of you. Sakura is not here and that leads me to believe that you're lying to me," Sigma said as he walked over to a bowl of opaque liquid on the table. "You have thirty seconds to come up with a better story!"

"But it's true! We're here chasing after Sakura! Something abducted her from us and we just want to get her back! We don't know where she is!"

"So why did you come here? You're not a very good liar and the only reason why someone would hold onto a lie like this after it's been discovered is if the truth is even worse. Tell me why you're here!" Sigma demanded as he walked with the bowl towards Tomoyo.

"It's true! I'm not lying to you! Our friend, Eriol, told us that Sakura was sent to one of these Realms, but he didn't know which one so he gave us the incantations to all of them! We just happened to have chosen this one!" Tomoyo said, fearful of what might be in the bowl. Tears came to Tomoyo's eyes as Sigma's expression failed to change. Sigma continued to advance towards Tomoyo, holding the bowl of liquid before him.

"You have one last chance. Tell me the truth!" Sigma said, now only inches away from Tomoyo.

"I am telling you the truth! Please just search the other Realms and let us know where she is. We'll leave as soon as you let us! We never meant to –" Tomoyo was cut off by Sigma.

"Fine. I'll try the other Realms. You've bought yourself some time. You better not be lying!" Sigma shouted as he put the bowl down and untied Tomoyo. Sigma walked Tomoyo back to her cell and shoved her into it violently. "I'm not a very patient person. You should think yourselves lucky, but if I don't find her this time, all three of you will suffer!" he said as he slammed the metal door behind him.

"Tomoyo! Are you ok?" Meiling asked as she limped over to her. "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing. He let me go this time. I hope he's not the one that took Sakura. If he is…" Tomoyo trailed off. _They know what I mean. I don't have to say it._ Tomoyo walked over to Li and sat down on the bench next to him. "I'm sure we'll find her soon. I asked Sigma to look in all the other Realms. If he finds her, we'll all be ok."

"WHAT? You _asked _him to look for her? Are you crazy?" Li said as he stood up. "What if he finds her and… and…" Li stopped in mid-sentence. "Why did you tell him to do that?"

"He asked me questions. He kept saying that I was lying… so I… I… told him to look in the other Realms for her. I didn't think he would… He wouldn't, would he?"

"I'm sure Sakura will be fine, Li. Tomoyo, it's not your fault, I would've done the same thing. We'll find her," Meiling said and walked over to the two of them.

Another knock came to the door and startled all three of them. "This is your breakfast. Eat it if you want!" a voice said as three plates of a gray substance came through the door.

"What is it?" Meiling asked.

"It won't kill you," the voice said.

"We may as well try it," Tomoyo said as she grabbed the spoon that game with it and took a small bite. "It doesn't really have a taste. I guess that's a good thing, but it kinda fells weird in you mouth."

"You're very… brave, Tomoyo," Li said as he watched Tomoyo eat. "Do you feel ok?"

"I'm fine. Try it, at least it's food," Tomoyo said as she took another bite.

Meiling and Li followed Tomoyo's example and took a small bite of the tasteless substance. "I suppose it's not too bad," Meiling said as she tasted it. As they all finished their food, another knock came to the door.

"Done? I'll take those plates. Shove them through the hole right there," the voice commanded. "There won't be much else happening today until Lord Sigma finishes searching the other Realms. I hope, for your sake, that you weren't lying. Well, enjoy the rest of your day," the voice said as its footsteps faded away.

* * *

Sigma walked up to his room and decided he would contact the other council members and have them search. _We haven't had any reason to talk for over 10 years. I wonder what's happened since then._ Sigma went over to his spell books and looked for the spell he needed to activate the communication orb that sat on his desk. _I haven't used this thing in ages!_ _The spell's easy enough. I just need to shoot some magical energy at it._

Sigma embraced the Earth energy that flowed throughout the Realm and directed some of it towards the orb. The orb began to glow a deep blue as it sent out a signal to the other six orbs in the chambers of the other Realms.

Sigma sat down and waited for a response. _We need a better communication system. This just doesn't work very well._ Sigma stared at the blue, glowing orb for a few more seconds before the face of a boy appeared followed by the rest of his figure as a hologram portrayed him life-size. "Who are you?" Sigma demanded of the kid.

"Hello Sigma. I'm the ruler of the Dark Realm. Can't you tell by the lack of light?" the kid replied.

"You don't look like him. What's your name?"

"I'm Shadow, and I don't care if I look like him or not. Now, why did you call?"

"Where's the real ruler, kid? I don't have time for games," Sigma replied as he grew angry. _Who is this _kid_? The last ruler was called… Hmmm… can't remember his name._

"You're talking to him. I don't have much time either, so either you tell me what you want, or I'll leave."

"Fine. I have this group of kids here, a little younger than you look, that claim they're looking for a Sakura that was mysteriously sucked into one of the Realms. I want you to –"

"Search my Realm and see if she's here. What are you going to do if they're lying to you?" Shadow said cutting off Sigma.

"You're very rude. If I could get my hands on you, I'd teach you a lesson about respecting your elders! If they're lying to me like I think they are, I'll force the truth out of them! Have you seen her?" Sigma asked growing impatient.

"Am I the first person you've asked? Or are you going to wait for the rest of the Members to answer?"

"I'll wait until I get all the answers. Let me know if you see her." _He obviously hasn't since he hasn't told me yet. I guess I can't expect to get an answer on my first try. I'll make those kids pay if they're lying._

"What makes you think I haven't already seen her?"

"You've been avoiding my questions. _Have _you seen her?"

"Yes. She's in my custody at the moment. You can end your search and spare those poor innocent children that you're going to brutally torture," Shadow responded in a mocking tone.

"Do you have any sense of respect at all?"

"Yes I do. But you didn't begin our friendly conversation with respect so I saw no reason to return it. Is there anything else?"

"Nothing. I hope we meet some day, Shadow!" Sigma said angrily as he cut off the flow of Earth energy to the orb. _Such a rude kid! How did he ever become the ruler of a Realm?_

* * *

Shadow walked away from the communication orb. "You can come out from your hiding spot now Sakura. That was a pretty clever trick you used, using the Silent Card to keep from being heard. I should teach you a lesson for sneaking around, but I'll forgive you this time."

Sakura walked out from behind a large stone pillar and glanced at Shadow. "How did you know I was there?"

"You used magic. I can feel when that happens just like you can. Are you hungry yet? It's almost noon, so I shouldn't offer you food, but you were asleep and I'm feeling especially nice at the moment," Shadow said, motioning for her to follow him out of the room.

"Yes, I'm a bit hungry."

"What would you like?" Shadow asked as he grabbed her hand and wrenched her away from the room.

"Ummm… you choose for me. I'm sure it will be good, whatever it is," Sakura said, still focused on what she had heard.

"Fine. I'll make you some tilapia. I'm sure you'll enjoy it," Shadow said as he continued to pull Sakura along behind him.

"Ok, I'll have that." _Who was that Sigma guy? He has Tomoyo and Li. I knew they would come after me, but I don't want them to get hurt. _Sakura was still lost in thought when Shadow sat her down and went into the kitchen. It wasn't until the breathtaking smell of Shadow's cooking floated to her nostrils before she realized that Shadow had put a plate of fish in front of her.

"Thank you." Sakura ate the fish in front of her and walked back to her room. _I'm glad he didn't get mad at me. I need to go save them. I've gotta go after them now!_ Sakura thought as she decided she would try to escape. _Tonight, when Shadow thinks I'll be asleep. I'll go then._

* * *

"Tomoyo, Meiling, Li! Get up! I found your friend and I apologize for not believing you at first. Come on. I had to make sure you weren't here for… other reasons." Sigma shouted from the other side of the metal door.

"You found her? Where is she?" Li asked Sigma as the door opened.

"Learn some manners!" Sigma replied and pushed Li back into the cell. "You can stay here until you do so!"

Li grew angry at Sigma and barely managed to control his temper. "I'm sorry. I was just a little excited," he said.

"Fine. Would you like some lunch? It won't be poisoned this time."

"Ummm… Lord Sigma? Can you let us know where Sakura is so we can go find her right now?" Tomoyo asked.

"You should have something to eat first. She's apparently in the Dark Realm, from what that kid told me. You sure you won't have something?" Sigma asked again.

At the mention of food, Meiling's stomach grumbled. She flushed as she looked at the pairs of eyes staring at her. "I'll have some," she said, embarrassed at herself for having given away her hunger.

"I think we're all hungry. We'd love to have a meal here," Tomoyo said smiling at Li.

"Alright then. I'll have the cooks get right to it. Again, I'm sorry I held you as prisoners. There are people in other Realms that would come here to… to dethrone me. I'll offer you my best rooms in exchange for your forgiveness."

"Li, Meiling's leg still hasn't healed yet. We should stay for a day or two. Besides, we could all use some rest. We'll take your offer, Lord Sigma," Tomoyo said as respectfully as she could manage.

"Good. I'll show you to your rooms. I'll have clean clothes up for you and water brought for a bath. I'll let you know when lunch will be ready," Sigma said as he herded them towards a staircase. "I'll make a special herbal drink for you, Meiling. It will help ease the pain from your wound."

"Thank you, Lord Sigma. A bath sounds very nice," Meiling said as she limped up the stairs.

"These are your rooms," Sigma said as he stopped between two doors. "I assume someone will be staying with her to help her get around."

"Thank you. Where are the bathrooms, Lord Sigma?" Meiling asked, eager for her bath.

"They're inside your rooms. I'm sure you'll find them. I'll call when the food is ready," Sigma said as he left them to choose their rooms.

"You two can have that room. I'll take this one," Li said, choosing the smaller room for himself.

"Li, do you trust him?" Tomoyo asked as Li walked into his room.

"No, but we don't really have a choice. We can't go anywhere with Meiling's leg in that condition and we can't find food ourselves. Let's just hope that he really does believe you and this isn't a trap," Li said worriedly. "Besides, he also has Eriol's spell book and the notes he gave us. We need those back before we can leave. Hope."

Tomoyo and Meiling nodded. "We'll find her, Li. At least now we know where she is," Tomoyo said looking back at Li as she helped Meiling into their room.

"I hope so…"

* * *

Questions? Comments? Please review. Email me with suggestions or predictions. I'll let you know if you're right in your predictions. Keep on reading!

On the next installment of The Seven Realms:

Sakura formulates a plan to escape Shadow's grasp. Will she make it and reunite herself with Li? What will happen to Li over dinner? Will Sigma forgive them for accidentally stepping into his Realm?

Council? What Council? There's a Council?


	6. The Rings of War

Authors Note (A/N): This story takes place about a year after Sakura defeats Eriol. She is 12 in this story and in the sixth grade. Li never confessed to Sakura, and the 2nd movie didn't happen. Things in _italics _are either thoughts or emphasis.

Previously:

Sigma talked to Shadow and released Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling, inviting them to dinner as his sincere apology for holding them captive. Sakura heard Sigma's conversation with Shadow and decided she would escape tonight.

**Chapter 6: The Rings of War**

_I guess it's time for lunch,_ Li thought as he heard the knock at his door. _I hope this works out._ Li walked out of his room and found one of Sigma's servants standing at the door.

"Lunch is ready, my Lord."

"Uhh… I'll be right down," Li said, unsure how to address the servant.

"Yes, my Lord," the servant said, bowing to Li as he left.

_How am I going to put up with this? I don't have any clue how to act…_ Li walked over to Tomoyo's room and knocked on the door.

"In a minute!" came Tomoyo's voice from the other side. "We'll be right down!"

"It's just me. I wanted to go together in case he tries anything."

"Oh, ok. Just give me a little bit."

"You're so slow Tomoyo!" Meiling said from behind the door. "I'm going with Li. He can help me walk just as well as you can.

"Wait! Just a few more seconds!"

A minute later, Meiling opened the door and limped out. "She'll be a little while."

"What is she doing in there?"

"I've been forbidden from telling you. She wants to 'Surprise you.'"

"Great," Li said, exasperated. "How much longer?"

"I'm coming. Just give me a second!" Tomoyo said as her footsteps grew louder. She opened the door and walked out.

Li stared at her, almost unable to suppress a laugh. "You… look… nice," Li said, biting himself to keep from laughing. _She looks ridiculous!_ Li thought staring at the extravagant dress Tomoyo was wearing.

"You really think so?" Tomoyo asked.

"You… look… fine…" Li said. _That thing looks like something you would expect a 16th century English queen to wear. Where did she get it?_

"You shouldn't lie to me. Just for that I'm going to go change into something else and keep you waiting!"

"Ok, fine. I think it looks terrible. Now can we please go? I don't want to keep _him_ waiting."

"It'll be ok. I'll just change quickly."

_

* * *

What is taking them so long? I sent for them five minutes ago! Sigma thought, growing impatient. __They need to learn some manners. If you're invited to a meal, you show up at the time given!_ Sigma thought, growing impatient. 

"Sorry we're late, Lord Sigma," Tomoyo said with a quick curtsy. "I hope we didn't keep you waiting."

"It's ok. Please, sit down. Here's your herbal tea, Meiling. It should help with the pain in your leg."

"Thank you, umm… Lord Sigma."

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Sigma. I'm sorry for treating all of you so roughly. I just had to be sure. Please, take this meal as my sincerest apology. Ask for whatever you'd like."

"Umm… Thank you… uhh… I think I'll have the salmon that we had before. It was really good," Meiling said awkwardly.

Li turned and stared at Meiling. "I'll have it too," he said, still staring at her.

"I guess I'll have it as well," Tomoyo said, smiling.

"Ok. Cook, can you make us four salmon dishes?"

"Right away, my Lord."

"So, let's talk for a little while. How do you plan on rescuing your friend Sakura?"

"We thought we'd just go get her. You said you found her in the Dark Realm, right?" Li asked.

"But Li, if it's the Dark Realm, how are we going to find her? Won't it be almost pitch black?"

"Don't be silly Tomoyo. How can whoever took her see if it's pitch black?" Meiling said.

"It's not pitch black there, but it is really dark and there are some… creatures native to that Realm that could harm you. I might be able to convince the ruler of that Realm to give you safe passage, but chances are, he's the one that abducted your friend."

"Do you know any other way to get through the Realm?" Li asked.

"Well, maybe you'd be able to make it, Li, but I don't think all three of you can. I only sense magical energies from you, so I think you could manage fine by yourself in that Realm. However, if you took them with you…"

"We're not staying behind, Li, so don't get any ideas!" Meiling warned.

"It's odd though. The last time I saw the ruler of the Dark Realm, it was someone else. This time it's a kid not much older than you lot."

"When was the last time you spoke with the other ruler?" Tomoyo asked.

"Well, I think the last time was about eleven years ago. We haven't had to talk much over the years. The Realms have been at peace since the War of Power Rings. That was about twelve years ago, and it took all of the rulers at that time to keep the Realms in existence. After that, we had lost communication with each other. I suppose in the time that's passed, a new ruler could have taken the throne."

"What's the War of the Power Rings?"

"Well, about fifteen years ago, each Realm had a Spirit come forth from its power source, so the Spirit was of the same type as the Realm, and thus unable to be beaten by the Realms own ruler." Sigma looked at the three confused faces staring at him. "Oh, I guess I should tell you a bit about the Realms first. I forget that you're not from any of the Realms. Sorry. I'll start from the beginning.

The Realms each have a source of power. Each of these powers is interconnected, thus causing the Realms to interconnect. The type of the power that the Realm is connected to determines the Realms type. The creatures from the Realm all connect to this source of power as their… life energy, I suppose would be a good way to put it. So, this is the Earth Realm, which means it's connected to the Earth Power Sphere.

Now, since all of the Power Spheres are connected to each other, so are the Realms. Back to the war, there were Spirits, like I said earlier, that came from each of these Power Spheres. Because they somehow came directly from the Spheres, they were made of pure energy of the Sphere that they came from, so the one here was made of pure Earth energy. Therefore, anything here in the Earth Realm couldn't hurt it because they were all connected to the Earth Power Sphere.

At that time, we, the rulers, contacted each other as our Realms' energy was being sucked away by these Spirits. The ruler's came together and we had a meeting. Meanwhile, the Spirits continued destroying large portions of the Realms, but they didn't dare leave the Realm in which they were born. We decided to change the rulers of the Realms to fight these Spirits, but that didn't work out too well.

So, we had another meeting, and we decided it was time to look through the old books for information about the Golden Power Sphere. It was thought to be only legend, but we didn't have any choice but to use it. The seven of us worked together to make seven half-gold, half-silver Rings, each infused with all seven Powers.

We then put the seven Rings, each of them about a meter in diameter and three centimeters thick, in a magical circle. We each took the Ring with the most of our Power Sphere in it and focused our magic together to bring forth the Golden Power Sphere. We used the energy from this Sphere to seal away the Spirits, each into its own Ring.

We then shrunk the Rings and made a set of Anti-rings to keep the Spirits sealed. The Anti-rings look like the actual Rings, but you can tell the difference by the designs on them. Each Ring has a design imprinted onto it that marks its type. The Anti-rings, however, have different symbols on them. They can also tap into the Power Sphere that they have the most power in. Did I lose any of you?"

"Wow, that's a very interesting story… Where are these Anti-rings kept?" Meiling asked.

"The rulers usually hold on to them. The Rings, however, are scattered through the various Realms. We made sure that the Rings weren't in their own Realm. So the Fire Ring would be in any Realm other than Fire. That way, if the Spirits do escape, they shouldn't be able to tap into their Power Sphere as easily."

"So, you can tap into the Power Sphere of this Realm? And so can your Anti-ring, right?" Li asked.

"Yes. And I can use the energy from the Sphere to do a lot of things. Normally I use it to grow my herbs faster. I'm not exactly a patient person."

"So, where is the Golden Power Sphere now? Did it just go away?"

"No, Tomoyo, it actually is still out there. It's always been there. We just had to conjure it to a place where it was easy for us to access. It's still in that place, so we don't have to go through as much trouble to get back to it. But, it can still only be accessed with all seven of the actual Rings together."

"But I thought the Rings had the Spirits in them. Do they still work now?"

"They can still work. But the Spirits will have to be released from the Rings. There is one other way to access the power. We could make new Rings."

"How did you seal these Spirits exactly? You must have done something other than just unleashing this Golden Power against them, right?"

"Well, we just bound them in the Power. The seven of use worked together to direct the energies at these Spirits one at a time. Each time we got one wrapped in it, we forced them into a Ring and created an Anti-ring. The only way to release them now, is to destroy the Anti-ring that corresponds to its type."

"Can these Rings do anything on their own?" Tomoyo said.

"Yes, actually, they can. They're still able to use energy from their Sphere. They can only use a little of the energy, however. For example, if you found the Fire Spirit's Ring, it would be able to burn you. If, however, it returned to its full size, it would be more powerful and perhaps start a fire or shoot fireballs. But in order for it to expand itself again, it would require some outside help."

"Your lunch, my Lords," said a bowing servant as he came in with four trays of food.

"Very good. Our meal is ready. Do you have any other questions about the war?"

"Yes. I've got one," Li said. "How were the Spirits created?"

"That's the question we debated for a whole year. The war lasted for three years: from when the first Spirit appeared to when it was sealed. Then, we, the Council Members, talked together to find out whom summoned the Spirits. Only a really powerful magician could have summoned them. And the only way to do so is with the Golden Power Sphere. We searched for all magical traces for an entire year. Soon, the Council lost interest and we haven't spoken since then. We never did find who actually summoned these Spirits."

"So, this guy is still out there," Li said, deep in thought.

"What's this Council you're talking about?" Tomoyo asked.

"Oh, the Council is just the seven rulers. We first called ourselves the Council during the war. I suppose we're not much of a council now. We haven't spoken in about eleven years. Any other questions?" Sigma asked, looking around. "Ok, then let's eat."

They ate in near complete silence. When they finished, Tomoyo, Meiling, and Li thanked Sigma and walked up to their rooms.

_I wonder why they're so interested. Well, I suppose it is an interesting subject. I wonder who did summon those Spirits. The Council should meet again sometime. I'd like to meet this Shadow kid and teach him some respect!_

* * *

"Sakura, it's time for your second test," Shadow said as he handed her a small square of paper. "Follow these instructions."

"Ok. Ummm… What are you going to test this time?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

"You'll find out in a few minutes, won't you? Go!"

Sakura put on some more comfortable clothes, preparing herself for another battle. _That sphienent was powerful. But something didn't feel right about it. It didn't seem… real somehow. Its attack sure felt real though… _She found her way through the winding hallways to a small, candlelit room. _I wish there would be some light around here. I should have brought my candle._ Suddenly, the wall-candles in the room were snuffed out, leaving only the kerosene lamp on the table. A few seconds later, it too went out and Sakura felt a pang of magic as the already dark world became darker.

_This feels like the Dark Card!_ Sakura thought as she stumbled over a barrel next to the table. _Ow!_

"Sakura, watch where you're going," came a voice through the darkness.

"Shadow? What are you doing?" Sakura asked, reaching out to grab the air in front of her.

"Find me. If you can, then you pass your test."

"THAT'S IT? I thought you were going to make me fight that thing again!" Sakura said, suddenly relieved.

"It's not as easy as you think. I'm not going to be just standing here. I'll also be completely silent. You have five minutes. One last thing, if you stumble over anything, you automatically fail and I'll make you fight the _sphienent _again. Good luck," Shadow said.

_How am I supposed to find him? I don't want to fight that thing!_ Sakura took out her Fiery Card and tried it. "Fiery!" The card hung in the air for a while, before drifting back down to her hand. _Hey! Why can I see the Cards? And myself? This is just like when I caught the Dark Card!_ "Light!" she yelled, hoping that she could light the room. The Light Card hung in the air for a few seconds as well and returned to her hand. _There must be someway to find Shadow! I need more time! _"Time!" she yelled, trying another Card. _None of my Cards work!_

"Four minutes," came a voice from behind her.

"Shadow, how am I supposed to do this?" Sakura asked desperately. Shadow didn't answer. _There must be some way. He wouldn't give me an impossible task!_ Sakura closed her eyes to think. She suddenly realized that she still felt a stream of magic coming from somewhere to her right. _That feels like… like a Clow Card…_ Sakura thought as she slowly walked to her right with her eyes closed.

"Shadow? Is that you?" Sakura asked, receiving no reply, as she continued towards the source of magic. Sakura stopped as the magical source relocated itself again. She turned around and walked forward. _Whatever it is, it's close. It's… right there!_ She thought as she grabbed the space ninety degrees to her right.

"Good. You found me," Shadow said as the darkness suddenly disappeared and the candles lit again.

"I felt… your magic. It felt like… like Clow Cards. Shadow, are you sure you don't have Clow Cards?"

"I don't have Clow Cards," Shadow said as his hand moved towards his coat pocket with a small rectangular card.

"What's that?" Sakura asked as she saw the gray and black card. "It looks like your Clow Card from my dream. You do have them, don't you?"

"Nope. No Clow Cards," Shadow replied. "So, what would you like for a job well done?"

"I want to know what that was. Let me see it!" Sakura shouted as she lunged towards Shadow, unable to help her curiosity.

Shadow stepped out of the way, causing Sakura to lose her balance. He grabbed her wrist to keep her from stumbling forward and twisted it behind her back, procuring a small scream in pain from Sakura. "It's not a Clow Card. That's all you need to know. For now. I wouldn't try that again if I were you. Now, what would you like for a job well done?" Shadow repeated.

"Let go! Ow! It hurts!" Sakura said as she struggled to wrench her hand free of Shadow's grasp. She took out her Through Card with her remaining hand. "Through!" she cried and caused her hand to slip through Shadow's.

"So, you don't want anything?"

"You'll give me anything?" Sakura asked.

"Of course not. Something small," Shadow said as he watched Sakura back away from him. "You're about to run into the table again."

"Huh?" Sakura asked as she stumbled into the table and knocked over the kerosene lamp. "Aaahh!" She screamed when the wooden floor erupted in flames from the kerosene.

"Good job. Am I going to have to clean this up, or will you kindly do it for me?" Shadow asked sarcastically as the fire crept over to the barrel Sakura tripped over. The barrel caught fire and more kerosene spilled out of it.

"Watery!" Watery emerged from its card and flooded the room, causing the fire to float above the water. "What's going on? Why isn't the fire out?"

"It's kerosene…" Shadow said, staring blankly at Sakura. "You know, like oil: the stuff that floats on top of water."

Sakura stared back angrily at Shadow for a few seconds before her shirt caught on fire. "Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" She screamed as she jumped around wildly, trying to put the fire out.

"You're hopeless," Shadow said as he continued to stare at Sakura.

Sakura dived into the water, putting out the fire on her dress. After she was sure the fire was out, she came back to the surface. "Help me! I don't know what to do!"

"The fire isn't my fault. Why should I help you?" Shadow said as the fire slowly died. "Besides, the fire will go out momentarily. So will your hair if you keep this up."

Sakura looked at her reflection in the water and realized that the end of her hair had caught fire. She let out another scream and submerged herself in the water again. Before returning to the surface again, she made sure there wasn't an oily patch above her.

"The kerosene will eventually burn itself out. Or you can get rid of it with your cards," Shadow said as the fire engulfed him.

"Shadow!" Sakura yelled, wondering why Shadow didn't move. Shadow stood, unmoving, in the chest-high water, surrounded by the flames.

"Calm down. _Think_ of a way out." Shadow said as the flames around his body died out, leaving him without any burns.

"Fine!" _There must be a way to do this. I bet this is a part of my test. He probably expected me to walk into that lamp! How am I going to get rid of this fire?_ Some kerosene floated towards Sakura and she dived under water again. _That's it! I can get rid of the kerosene!_ Sakura thought as she resurfaced and cried, "Erase!" Erase immediately took effect, wiping out the kerosene along with the fire.

"Took you long enough," Shadow said as he walked out of the room. "You may want to come with me. The castle's hallways are changing again."

"Wait!" Sakura yelled as she ran after Shadow. Sakura ran out of the room into complete darkness. "Shadow?" Sakura asked. _Oh no! He didn't leave me again did he?_ Sakura thought as she walked through the dark hallway. "Fiery!" Fiery came out of its card in a blaze, bringing some light to the dark hallway. Sakura turned around and walked back into the room with the kerosene lamp. She picked up a candle and instructed Fiery to light it.

She walked out of the room and attempted to find her way back to her room. _He said the place was changing again. I better move quickly!_ Sakura ran forward through the dark hallway. Suddenly, her candle went out. _What?_

"Hello, Sakura. We meet again!" Two red eyes abruptly materialized in front of her.

"No! Not you again!" Sakura said as she turned around to run. "Leave me alone!"

"I have my orders. This time Shadow won't be around to help you!" the _sphienent_ said as he began to glow a bright red, creating a clearer silhouette and shooting its eight glowing tentacles towards Sakura.

"Shield!" Sakura cried as the tentacles approached.

"That can't hold forever!" the _sphienent_ hissed as its eight tentacles continued to bombard the shield around Sakura.

_What am I going to do? I have to do _something _about this!_ Sakura reached into her pocket in hopes of finding an answer there. She felt the ring Shadow had given her and wondered what it might do. At that moment, the ring enveloped itself in a dark sphere and floated out to in front of her. _What's going on?_

The _sphienent_ stopped its attacks and stared blankly at the dark ring. "He gave that to you? No!" it said as it disappeared.

_What is this? _Sakura wondered as the dark sphere around the ring disappeared. She held out her hand for the ring and it floated down into her palm.

"Sakura, you're safe. Don't lose that ring. It's very important for your safety," Shadow said as he stepped out of the darkness. "Come on."

Sakura fell into step behind Shadow, keeping her questions quiet. _I'm going to get to the bottom of this!_

"You have free time until the end of the day. Come eat when you want, unless you want me to bring you your food."

"Thank you. I'll eat by myself in my room today."

"Hungry yet? I'm sure using all of those cards took a lot out of you," Shadow said. "What would you like?"

"I'll have whatever you make," Sakura said halfheartedly.

"Alright. We're at your room. You should have a long rest before tomorrow. I suggest you go to bed early tonight." Shadow led Sakura to her room and allowed her to plop down on her bed tiredly.

"Ok. I'll try to remember," Sakura said, looking at the clock. _It's only five. I'll wait a little bit._

Five minutes later, Shadow walked in with Sakura's meal. "I hope you enjoy it. It's not one of my best recipes," Shadow said as he laid down a plate of duck, fried rice, and a baked potato.

"Huh? I'm supposed to eat all of this?" Sakura asked, staring at the two plates and the abnormally large potato.

"I think you'll need it. Enjoy," Shadow said with a small smile as he left.

_I wonder if he knows,_ Sakura thought and began to eat.

* * *

Li walked across the hall from his room. He knocked on Meiling and Tomoyo's door. "Hello?" he asked when nobody answered.

"One second!" he heard Tomoyo's voice from the other side along with the sound of wood hitting wood. Tomoyo opened the door and let Li in.

"What were you doing?" Li asked as he walked in.

"Nothing really. I was a little tired, so I ignored the first knock. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. You haven't been yourself since lunch. What's wrong?" Li asked.

"It's nothing. I'm fine. I'm just a little worried about Sakura. That's all," Tomoyo replied, turning away from Li.

Li put a hand on Tomoyo's shoulder and turned her around to see tears in her eyes. "Tell me what's wrong. You're not just a little worried. Come on, maybe I can help," Li said looking straight into Tomoyo's eyes.

"I had a dream with Sakura in it. I was going to tell Eriol, but I forgot to. You were in it, along with Meiling. I… I just don't want what happened in the dream to… to actually happen."

"Were there cages involved? With me and Meiling in two of them and Sakura in the third?"

"Yes. I know you had it too. I spoke to Meiling about it. But the reason I've been acting strange is because of the ring I saw at the beginning of my dream. It was half-gold and half-silver, just like the Rings Sigma described to us today. It was really big, about a meter or so in diameter, so I think it might be one of the Rings. I'm afraid that… that whoever took Sakura might… might…"

"It's ok. Nothing will happen to her. She'll be fine. I promise," Li said. _I sure hope she's fine. The only problem is I have the same feeling. I'm sure Meiling does too._ "Tomoyo, where's Meiling?"

"She's asleep. That tea that Sigma gave her made her drowsy. She almost fainted on the way up here. Why do you ask?"

"She told me about her dream and I just wanted to talk to her about it and make sure she's ok."

"Li, can you stay here with her tonight? I want to talk to Sigma. I need to know some more and he seems most willing to talk to me or Meiling. Can you look after her for me?"

"Sure. I'll look after her if you promise to tell us everything that you learned when you come back."

"I promise. I wouldn't be that selfish!" Tomoyo said with her usual cheery smile.

"No matter how bad it is, we want to here it. Okay?"

"I promise."

* * *

Questions? Comments? R&R please. I hope you liked this chapter. Email me if you want, or just post your reviews. One last thing: instead of "On the next installment of…" I'll just give you stuff to look forward to. :

Shadow gives Sakura a humongous meal and hints that he knows about her plan. Will she still try to escape?

What's with Shadow's card-like things? Does he _really_ have Clow Cards or not?

Why did Shadow give Sakura that ring and what does it really do?

Tomoyo is going to talk to Sigma. What will she find out from him? What will he do to her? What's with all the hypothetical questions?


	7. Thwarted Attempts

Authors Note (A/N): Same as last time! Go read the other stories if you don't have it memorized by now!

Previously:

Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling get a history lesson from Sigma, learning about the War of the Eighth Power Sphere which began about 15 years ago. Sakura meets the _sphienent_ again, who speaks of orders from his master. The ring Shadow gave Sakura suddenly starts glowing, and the _sphienent_ runs. Tomoyo decides to ask Sigma some questions over the War.

**Chapter 7: Thwarted Attempts**

Tomoyo walked down the stairs towards the dining room. She found a servant and asked politely for directions to Sigma's bedchambers.

"Yes, I can take you to him, my Lady," the servant said.

"Thank you," Tomoyo replied.

They walked up a few flights of stairs and approached a set of large, golden double-doors. "My Lord Sigma! One of your guests would like to speak with you!" the servant hollered as he knocked on the door.

"Come in," Sigma said from the other side.

"Thank you," Tomoyo said to the servant as he bowed to her and left.

"Tomoyo! What a pleasant surprise! How are you?" Sigma asked as he escorted Tomoyo into the room.

"I'm fine. I'm not bothering you, am I?" Tomoyo asked.

"No, of course not. What can I do for you?"

"What would happen if someone had one of the Anti-rings? Someone other than one of the rulers, I mean."

"Well, the person would be able to use some of the ring's power, but that's all. Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing, really. I'm just a bit curious. Would the Anti-ring cause any harm to the person?"

"Wait. Do you know someone that has an Anti-ring?"

"No."

"Then why do you care?" Sigma asked, staring at Tomoyo.

"I just want to know. Can you tell me? Please?"

"No, the Anti-ring can't cause any harm to anyone, but there are creatures that are drawn to its power. Those creatures might harm whoever's holding the Anti-ring. Another thing: since we haven't found the person who summoned the Spirits, he, she, or it, could be after the Anti-rings. The Rings, however, can hurt people. Like I said before, they're able to use some of the energy from the Spheres. Now, I've told you what you want to know. Tell me _why_ you want to know," Sigma demanded.

"I just need to know. Where – "

"Tell me why. People don't just ask these types of questions without a reason. Let me know. Do you have an Anti-ring?" Sigma asked a little less patiently.

"Fine, I'll tell you. I had a dream before we all traveled to the Realms. It involved a half-gold, half-silver ring. No one had it, and it was pretty big. The dream was after Sakura was taken away and she was in it too. That's the only reason I want to know."

"So, you're wondering why you had a dream about one of the Rings. It wasn't an Anti-ring. Those will always be small enough to fit on your finger."

"Is there anything else you can tell me about the war? You really don't know who summoned the Spirits?"

"I have no clue. The only idea we had was from Matriana, the ruler of the Water Realm. She thought that whoever summoned the Spirits wouldn't be in any of the Seven Realms, but instead, in a special Realm. There are some books about a Realm that's just beyond our reach, A Realm that takes an extremely large amount of power to get to. She thought that, perhaps, this supposed mythological Realm would be where the Summoner of the Spirits is. Do you understand?" Sigma asked as he saw Tomoyo's blank stare.

"Yes, I do, but… how do you know this Realm even exists?" Tomoyo said.

"Well, she believed that the since the Spirits could only be created with the Golden Power Sphere's energy, and that was supposedly mythological as well, that whoever wielded the Power from that Sphere must also be somewhere in the myths. Basically, she thought that since the person used a mythological power source, that he must also be on the same level. He has to be strong and knowledgeable enough to be able to use this Sphere."

"But you have absolutely no idea who this person or thing is?" Tomoyo asked. "Could this person have been the one that captured Sakura?"

"I don't think that someone with that much power would waste his time capturing a little girl. No offense to you or your friend Sakura, but I don't see any reason to take her. Unless she had one of the Anti-rings and the Summoner of the Spirits wanted his Spirits back. But, you already said she doesn't have one that you know of." Sigma gave Tomoyo a searching glance and returned to staring at the dimming Realm outside his window. "Why do you think the Summoner took her?"

"I don't know. It's just a feeling I get from the dream. In my dream, there was a person with dark, black hair and almost black eyes. Maybe that's the Summoner that we keep referring to. He had Sakura in a cage and…" Tomoyo stopped, again unable to utter the words as if a taboo had been placed on them.

"You just described that kid, Shadow, that says he rules the Dark Realm. Maybe I should go with you. I'd like to meet this kid," Sigma said to himself. "Would you mind if I accompanied you? This way, I'm sure you and your friend Meiling could go with Li and not be hurt."

"Ummm… I'll have to ask Li about it. He's really… kinda the leader of our journey. I think, out of the three of us, that he cares the most for Sakura. I don't know if he'd want you along," Tomoyo admitted.

"Oh? And why's that? I know it won't be because he's afraid of me. He doesn't like me very much, does he?" Sigma asked.

"Ummm… no, not really. He's… still a little mad at you… for…"

"You go talk to him. Let me know what he says. If the three of you want me along, I'll come with you. I can leave the matters of this Realm to my servants for a while. Go ahead, ask him and tell me what he says," Sigma said as he ushered Tomoyo out of his room with an unexplained sense of urgency.

"Ok. I'll be back with an answer from him." Tomoyo walked down the stairs and found her way back to her room. _Well, that went rather well. I hope Li lets him come with us. He could be a big help… or…_ Tomoyo knocked on the door and walked in.

"What happened? What did you find out?" Li asked as soon as she walked in.

Tomoyo told him everything she learned. "Li, he offered to help us. He said he'd come with us if we all agreed to it. I know Meiling won't mind, but I decided to ask you first. I'm supposed to get an answer from you and go back and tell him what you said." Tomoyo said after her story. "So?"

"I… Give me some time to think about it. I'll let him know tomorrow, at lunch." Li said as he stalked back into Meiling's room.

_I'd better leave him alone. He looks pretty mad…_ Tomoyo thought as she walked towards the door. _Well, back to Sigma's room._

Tomoyo walked out the door and began to find her way to Sigma's room again. _I wonder if he's going to give us dinner. It's about seven now. I'm a little hungry,_ she thought. Suddenly, the castle shook and Tomoyo lost her balance. _What's that?_ Another tremor shook the castle and knocked Tomoyo off her feet as a shrill screech filled Tomoyo's ears. _What's going on?_

"What's happening? Who sounded the alarm? Tomoyo? Are you alright?" Sigma asked as he came down the stairs.

"Lord Sigma, sir! We're under attack!" a servant informed Sigma in a panicked voice.

"What? Attacked? By whom?" Sigma yelled. "Tomoyo, go back to your room. You'll be safer there. Here. I'll take you."

"Thank you," Tomoyo said. Another tremor shook the castle and a beam fell from above Tomoyo and Sigma. "Aaaahh! Look out!" Tomoyo screamed as the wooden beam came closer.

Sigma reached out his hand towards the beam causing Tomoyo to feel a tickling sensation in the back of her mind. _I… feel something. What is it?_ Suddenly, pillars of hard, solid rock rose up to meet the wooden beam, smashing it to pieces. "Come on!"

"Wait! I'm coming!" Tomoyo cried and ran after Sigma.

"Here! Take my hand!" Sigma said as he grabbed Tomoyo's arm, pulling her faster than she could run. A round portion of earth broke off in the distance and glided to Sigma who hoisted Tomoyo up onto it. The platform floated through the air, carrying both Tomoyo and Sigma up the staircase.

"What are you doing?" Tomoyo asked when she realized she was being lifted through the air by an inch think piece of floating earth, about two meters in diameter.

"I'm the ruler of the Earth Realm, remember? I can do things with the Earth Sphere and cause rock and so on to move. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Thank you. What's going on? And what's that annoying screeching noise?" Tomoyo asked, covering her ears a little.

"That's the alarm. It hasn't been used in a while and should probably be fixed. It's not supposed to sound like that," Sigma said. "Here's your room. I'll be downstairs. Let's see what this attack is all about!"

"Thank you!" Tomoyo cried after Sigma as he left. Tomoyo opened the double doors to her room and stepped inside to find Li battling a large falcon-like creature with black feathers, beak, and talons. "Li! What's going on?"

"Talk later! Get Meiling out of here!" he cried as he barely dodged a swipe from the creature's talons. "Go!"

_What's going on here? Where is Meiling? I hope she's ok!_ Tomoyo ran into Meiling's room and found her half-awake, trying to get out the door. "Meiling!" Tomoyo cried as she ran towards her.

"Tomoyo?" Meiling said with a yawn. "What's going on? What's that annoying screech?"

Tomoyo grabbed Meiling and put herself under one of Meiling's arms. "The castle seems to be under attack and Li is fighting a gigantic, black-feathered falcon. He told me to get you somewhere safe. Can you make it?"

"I'll manage. Where are you going to take me?" Meiling asked, still half-asleep and obviously overlooking the fact that Li was fighting.

_I'm glad she didn't ask about Li, but when she sees that creature… _"I don't know yet. I'm just going to get you out of here," Tomoyo said. She took a step forward and half carried Meiling to the door.

"What is THAT?" Meiling asked. "Li! Watch out!"

"Run! Go! Find help!" Li said as he swung his sword at the creature's beak. The sword struck the beak and reverberated, creating a strange, low tone. A bone-piercing screech pierced the room. "Go!"

"I won't leave! Not with you fighting that thing!" Meiling said and struggled away from Tomoyo, falling to the ground.

"Meiling! You can't do anything staying here! Li can handle it! We have to go!" Tomoyo said as she tried to help Meiling up.

"No! I'm not leaving without Li!"

"Meiling! Go! You can't help me here! Go get help!" Li said, getting out his fire _ofuda_.

"Come on! Let's go!" Tomoyo shouted and grabbed Meiling's arm. Meiling didn't struggle this time.

"Fine. I'll go," she said. Tomoyo helped her up and walked her out the door. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to find Sigma. He's the only one that can help right now. You're going to sit somewhere safe. Li wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"I'm coming with you! Li wouldn't want you hurt either!" Meiling said determinedly.

"But Meiling, what about your leg?"

"I'll manage. You're not leaving me behind! I'm not going to just sit around!"

Tomoyo smiled at Meiling and carried her down the stairs. "Ok. Let's find Sigma. Together."

_

* * *

Who could possibly be attacking me? None of the other rulers would want to do something like this. Unless it's that Shadow kid. I still don't know anything about him! "Let's go! Those of you who can use any power from our Sphere, come with me! We'll see what's going on!"_

Sigma stalked through his castle, angry at whoever was attacking him. He walked to the main doors and went outside. _What?_

Creatures were everywhere. _Those are Fire creatures! And those… they're Water. Wind and Lightning creatures as well? What's going on?_ Sigma pulled at the energy that ran through the Realm. He directed a large amount at the earth under the ground creatures. The ground shook and almost all the creatures on the ground fell in the newly formed crevice. _Earth creatures are attacking me too?_ Sigma wondered as he saw creatures digging a hole out of the ground. _I have to do something!_

Suddenly, the creatures all stopped moving. The flying creatures landed to bow and the ground creatures knelt where they stood. Clouds appeared in the sky and swirled around a single, dark spot. Slowly, a person, clad in black armor descended into the Realm and spoke with a commanding voice. "Give them to me! There's no use protecting them!"

"Who are you and what do you want?" Sigma yelled back.

"I've come for the three travelers that you have given shelter to. Give them to me now or I will unleash all my creatures and tear down your Realm until I have them!" An eerie glow surrounded the person and balls of energy appeared in his hands. Just then, Tomoyo came out of the castle with Meiling.

"Sigma! There's a large creature in…"

"You two! You are mine!" the person shouted as he flew towards them.

"Leave them alone!" Sigma yelled as he unleashed an enormous bolt of energy at the ground in front of him. A large barrier made of pure, reflective gold came out of the ground and surrounded his castle.

"Sigma! What's happening?" Tomoyo asked.

"I don't know, but I don't intend to let him have his way!" Sigma invoked the power of his Anti-ring and used it along with his innate powers. "You will fall before me! You and your creatures!" Sigma yelled as he unleashed a torrent of energy such as had not been seen for over 10 years. The energy flowed through him and into the earth, creating a large tidal wave of dirt, rock, and magma.

The wave rushed towards the creatures, wiping them out. The only living things remaining within a five mile radius were those inside Sigma's castle and the one person, hovering above the castle.

"Tell me your name! Your creatures are gone!" Sigma said as the person drifted, unfazed through the rubble.

"I will not. We will meet again! Protect them while you can, _Lord_ Sigma!" he said mockingly as he ascended into the swirling clouds and disappeared.

"Come back here! I'm not done with you!" Sigma cried after the dispersing clouds, sending rocks flying into the air after the receding figure.

"Sigma! Li might be hurt! He was fighting a gigantic, falcon creature in our room! We came to get help! Come with us!" Meiling cried as she attempted to grab Sigma's coat sleeve and stumbled forward into Sigma's arms.

"Alright," Sigma said, supporting Meiling and starting to follow Tomoyo. _I'll find out who you are. And when I do, I will make you regret the day you were born! No one attacks me!_

* * *

Sakura made sure all her supplies were well packed. _I've gotta find them and keep them out of danger. _Sakura had used the Little Card to shrink all her supplies and put them in a pouch she created with Create. _Good. Everything's here. I hope this works!_

"Time!" she shouted. The world was covered with a sickly yellow as Time stopped the time. _I better get going… I may be stronger, but I still can't hold Time for more than fifteen minutes without losing my strength._ "Fly! Through!" she yelled, using both cards at once. _I wish I could light the place!_

Sakura flew through the Realm, looking for some clue of Li's whereabouts. She could barely make out the ground beneath her as she flew close to it. Suddenly, a dark shape appeared in front of her. "Aaahh!" she gasped as she looked around to find the creature. "Fiery!" she yelled. _Why was that thing moving? _Fiery spouted from it's card and created a large circle of light around itself. _Where did it go?_

Sakura decided to ignore it and continued on her previous course. _There has to be a way out of here!_ "Aaahh!" she screamed as another shadowy blur flew passed in front of her. _How are these things moving? I've used Time already! They should be frozen!_ Sakura looked around warily. _Someone must be behind this!_

Suddenly, Time's effect vanished and the Time Card floated down to her hand. "What's going on?" she whispered to herself. She landed on the ground and wondered if this was Shadow's doing. _Why can't he just let me go?_

All of a sudden, Sakura heard a low growl from behind her. She turned around to see a small boar-like creature staring at her through two tiny black beads. _Oh no!_ she thought as she turned around and ran. "Dash!" she yelled, invoking the powers of the Dash Card, causing her to speed up immensely. _Why do creatures keep attacking me?_

Sakura slowed to a stop and sat down. Seconds later, the boar-like creature appeared in front of her. _It can't be! I must have run a mile! How did it get in front of me?_ Sakura turned around and found another boar creature behind her. _Where are these things coming from?_

The two boars charged towards Sakura. "Jump!" she cried and shot straight up. "Shot!" she cried. Shot emerged from its card and hurled a ball of pure energy at each of the boars, knocking them unconscious. _Now that that's over with, I can find my way out of here. _Sakura landed next to the two unconscious boars and walked calmly away from them.

_I wonder where those things came from…_ Sakura wondered after a few minutes. Several minutes later, she saw two dark shapes in front of her. As she approached the two shapes she realized what they were. _But… I've been walking in a straight line! How can I be back here?_ Sakura sat down next to the creatures and closed her eyes, feeling for magical energies. _It feels like a Clow Card again! Shadow must have found me! This has to be… the Loop Card! No!_

"So, you've finally figured it out," Shadow said as he descended. "It was pretty funny. You've been going through this loop for a while."

"Let me go! I have to help Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling!" Sakura screamed as she turned and ran from Shadow.

"Stop right there," Shadow said. "I'll give you a fair fight. I'll let you attack how you want, and I'll just fight back. I won't stop you from using any cards. You just have to try to hit me with them.

"Freeze!" she shouted. "Leave me alone!" Freeze leaped from its card in large blue-ish white wisps to surround Shadow.

"Nice try. It will take more than that," Shadow said as he walked towards Sakura. "Don't you have any stronger Cards?"

"Get away from me! Time!" she said, attempting to escape. All of time froze and Sakura walked away from the seemingly frozen Shadow.

"Time doesn't affect me. Nice try, again. Are you going to do anything else? Or just run now?" Shadow asked suddenly from behind Sakura.

"Mist! Maze! Illusion!" Sakura yelled, using all three cards at once. "Let me go!"

The three cards took effect and created a large, misty maze. "Sakura, you should know better than this," Shadow said as he hovered above the maze. "You can't hide from me, but you can try to attack. What do you have to lose?"

Sakura ignored Shadow's words and ran as fast as she could away from his voice.

"I guess this means you're just going to run. I'll give you one last chance. If you don't attack, I will." Shadow descended in front of Sakura, blocking her way. "Last chance."

"Why won't you leave me alone? I haven't done anything! Just let me go!" Sakura said as she ran past Shadow.

"If that's your decision, then it can't be helped. I'll just have to teach you the hard way. Dark," Shadow said a little louder than usual.

The world dimmed and Sakura was enveloped in darkness. "Leave me alone!" she yelled as she ran through it.

"Wood," Shadow intoned. Long, green vines became visible and propelled themselves towards Sakura.

"Fiery!" Sakura yelled. The Fiery Card floated in the air for a few seconds before descending to her hands. Half a second later, Wood's vines reached Sakura's arms. The bound her and lifted her up to Shadow. The darkness disappeared and a gray-and-black card drifted to Shadow's hand. "I thought you said you didn't have Clow Cards!"

"I don't. Do these look like _Clow _Cards to you?" Shadow asked as he showed her Dark.

"But they look just like them! They even do the same thing! Where did you get them?"

"Why did you try to escape? I'm pretty sure that was one of the things I told you not to do. Why did you try?"

"I heard what Sigma said about having Li and the rest of my friends. I want to save them! Let me go!"

"Ok," Shadow said. Wood released its hold on Sakura who fell ten feet to the ground.

"Aaahh!" she screamed as she hit the ground.

"How's that? Now are you going to keep running? You know I can catch you again."

"Why won't you let me leave?" Sakura asked as tears came to her eyes. "Why can't you just let me find Li?"

"How do you intend to do that? Do you have any clue how to access the Portals? Do you know the incantations?"

"No, but I could have figured out a way. Just let me go!"

"And if I choose not to? I gave you the chance to fight me and you failed. What are you going to do now? If you give up now, I won't be too mad and you won't be punished as much. Your choice," Shadow said as he extended his arm for Sakura.

"Why do you want me back? Give me one good reason why I should go with you!" Sakura demanded of Shadow.

"Because if you don't choose to go back, I'll drag you back and make you pay for it. If that's not a good enough reason, then I guess I'll have to drag you back."

"Fine! I'll go back with you. On one condition: you have to give me the incantations to the where Li is and let me go tomorrow."

"You're in no position to make demands. Let's try this again. Will you come back with me or do I have to drag, and I mean drag, you?"

Sakura got up and started towards Shadow when a large winged creature gave a bone-piercing screech from above them. The creature swooped down towards Sakura and grabbed her wrists with its talons, digging into her flesh. "Aaaaahhh!" Sakura cried as she was lifted by one hand to the sky.

Shadow floated next to the creature. "Tell your master to leave her alone. He's not going to get what he wants. Time!" Shadow said loudly with a strange undertone of anger.

The creature froze in midair with Sakura hanging from its talons. Shadow glided towards the creature's talons and ripped them open, freeing Sakura. "Let's go," he said as he put Sakura back on the ground.

Sakura grabbed her wounded wrist as soon as Shadow let go of her arm. Silently, she followed Shadow back to the castle.

"Are you ok?" Shadow asked as he led her back to her room.

"Why do you suddenly care?" Sakura barked as she sat down on her bed.

"I've always cared. Always. Let me see your wrist," Shadow said in a soft voice.

Reluctantly, Sakura gave Shadow her hand.

"Just relax. You'll be fine," Shadow said as an aura surrounded him.

"Wha…" Sakura stopped in mid-sentence as she felt like her hand was dipped in ice water. A few seconds later it warmed up and the wound was gone. "What did you do?" Sakura asked, astonished.

Shadow smiled at her. "I've always cared."

"Thanks," Sakura said groggily as she collapsed from using so many Cards.

"Anything I can get you before you fall asleep?"

"No, thanks. Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?" Sakura asked, still falling asleep.

"I've always cared. If you don't need anything, I'll leave you to your sleep. Good night," Shadow said as he started to leave.

"Shadow," Sakura called after him. "Stay for a bit. Please?"

"Sure. I've got nothing important to do. What's on your mind?" Shadow asked as he sat down at the foot of Sakura's bed.

"Shadow, what was that?" Sakura asked with a yawn.

"It was a _dragharbtek_. It's a very strong creature of Dark energy. Why do you ask? Other than your omnipresent curiosity, of course."

"You said something about its master when it grabbed me. Who is he? What does he want with me?"

"I'll tell you at some point, Sakura. I don't want to let you know just yet. Don't worry about it."

"But Shadow, I'm scared. Is the _sphienent _under his control too? Earlier today, when that ring you gave me scared it off, the _sphienent_ sad it had its orders to capture me. Please let me know what this guy wants. I have to know," Sakura pleaded.

"Fine. I'll tell you about him. His name is Altarrin. I'm not one hundred percent sure why he wants you, but I don't intend to let him get you. He won't be as nice as I am when he gets his hands on you."

"What's so important about me? Why do _you_ want me?"

"I'm still not going to tell you. We've been over this before. You'll have to figure out what I want on your own, or you can just forget about it. Anything else?"

"Where did you get those Cards you used?" Sakura asked again.

"I got half of them the same way you did. The other half I got from you," Shadow said in an exceptionally calm voice.

"From me? What do you mean?"

"Nothing. You'll figure it you someday. I promise," Shadow said as he got up to leave. "Get some rest. Sleep as late as you like tomorrow. I have a feeling you'll need your energy."

"Good night then, Shadow."

"Good night. Just call if you ever need anything."

"Ok," Sakura said as she drifted into sleep.

"Sweet dreams. You're just like her. But… you're not her. No matter how alike you two are, you're not her…"

* * *

Well, I like this chapter. I'm not going to answer questions like "What did Shadow mean when he said ?" because that would be giving away the plot.

Things to look forward to:

Sigma used a large amount of power from the Earth Sphere to attack the guy floating in the air and his creatures. The guy, however, wasn't even fazed. What will happen when he keeps his promise and come back? What happened to Li in his room?

Sakura tries to run away and the creature that fought Li grabs her. Shadow reveals that he has cards like Clow Cards, but different somehow. Where did he get them? How could he have gotten them from Sakura? "You're just like her." Who's her?

Email me questions if you'd like. I'll answer them if they don't spoil anything.


	8. Aftermath of Battle

Authors Note (A/N): Umm… Hmm… I don't remember… Something… Umm… huh… Well… I hope you know what it is, cuz I don't seem to remember.

Previously:

Li and gang underwent a gigantic attack by some guy in black armor. Sigma fended him off using as much power as he could muster, which still left the guy unfazed. Li may or may not be injured by the giant bird creature that attacked him. Either way, Sigma's on his way. Sakura tried to escape and was, of course, caught by Shadow. However, if she wasn't, she would've been caught by the giant _dragharbtek_ creature that Shadow saved her from. What's with Shadow anyways?

**Chapter 8: Aftermath of Battle**

The Portal closed as Li stepped through it. "Why didn't you go with them?" Suppi asked.

"I have more important things I need to take care of. They could be gone for a while and I need to find a way to give them more time."

"Breakfast is ready!" Ruby called from the kitchen.

"One second. I'll be right there," Eriol responded.

"So, how are you going to manage that? You're not planning on stopping time in some bizarre way, are you?" Suppi asked in his normal soporific voice.

"Breakfast!" Ruby called cheerily as she stepped into the room. "It's going to get cold! You people don't appreciate all the work I do for you!"

"Yes. I'll be there in a second," Eriol said, staring out the large window.

"Alright, but I'm not heating it back up when it gets cold!" Ruby threatened as she walked back out.

"Breakfast it is," Eriol said, following Ruby to the dining room.

"So, how are you going to do it? You must have something planned," Suppi asked.

"I'm not sure. I may have to stop time. I should probably send Keroberos and Yue after Li. They should be able to help. I'm sure they know that something's wrong by now," Eriol said thoughtfully when a knock came to the door.

Ruby walked over to the door and opened it. "Hello!" she said in a cheery voice.

"What are you so happy about? I'm sure that you know Sakura's missing! Let me see Eriol!" Kero yelled, floating in front of Yue.

"Keroberos, Yue, come in. I've been expecting you for a while," Eriol said from his high-backed chair at the dinner table.

"Tell me where Sakura is! What have you done this time? I thought you said it was over!" Kero demanded angrily as Yue walked into the room.

"Sit down. Enjoy some breakfast. I'm sure Ruby made a bit extra for you. Yue, are you not worried?"

"Sakura is very capable. I'm sure she is ok," Yue said in a rather calm voice.

"Are you going to explain to us where she is, or are you just going to let us wonder?" Kero asked indignantly.

"She's in one of the Realms: magical places that seem to exist perpendicular to our space."

"How do we get there?"

"I can send you after Li. I know where he is, but I can't tell you where Sakura is or how to find her," Eriol admitted. _The only reason I know where Li is, is because I put a tracker of sorts on that book I gave him. He better not have lost it._

"What's the kid got to do with this?"

"He wanted to go after her, so I let him."

"Then we'll go too," Yue said in a cool voice. "Tell us how to get there."

"You should probably stay for a little while so you know what you're getting into."

"Fine. So tell us what you know," Kero demanded as he sat down on the table next to a bowl of soup.

"I can give you little history of the Realms. Clow Reed gave up on trying to study them long before he made the Clow Cards. All that he ever found out about them are written in this book.

"There are a total of seven of these Realms and they each have an elemental alignment: fire, earth, wind, water, thunder, light, and dark. Each of them has a variety of creatures within them that correspond in alignment. After that, his knowledge of the Realms ends. Most of what he found was in ancient texts about strange, magical places that would sometimes open up to this world and allow odd creatures to appear.

"However, I recently found a book about the Realms. It provided me with the incantations needed to create portals to the Realms and allowed me to send Li off to them."

"So, where's the kid?"

"I don't know right now. I'll have to check after breakfast," Eriol said.

"Why didn't you go with him? He needs all the help he can get."

"Tomoyo and Meiling went with them. I had to stay here. I need to find a way to slow time until they get back."

"Will you come with us?" Yue asked. "We can help you with the spell you need for slowing time. Then you can come with us."

"No. You need to go as soon as you can. Li and the others need you to help them. The Realms are very dangerous and Sakura needs to be rescued as soon as possible. I'll follow after you when I've finished the spell."

"Fine. Then let's go now. There's no use waiting any longer, and you've already told us everything you know. Why are we still sitting here?" Kero asked.

"I'll look for Li right now," Eriol said and released his wand. He waved it through the air a bit and it glowed a bright red as a magic circle appeared under his feet. Then, a smaller circle appeared a couple of feet in front of him. Slowly, the image in the circle clarified and showed an image of Li, unconscious in what looked like a prison cell.

"He's been captured by someone already?" Kero said. "The kid's worthless!"

Suddenly, the prison door opened and Tomoyo was pulled out of the cell in an astonishingly fast speed.

"It looks like you don't need to slow time at all. It's already sped up in the Realms. You can come with us now," Yue said as he watched Tomoyo get thrown back into the room only to be pulled out a minute later.

"Good. I suppose I will come with you then. Suppi, Ruby, pack some supplies that we'll need. Pack some thread as well. I may need to use it," Eriol said as he walked to his room and gathered what he saw necessary.

"We're just going to leave? No planning or anything?" Suppi asked.

"What would you plan? He already said he doesn't know anything about these Realms. Besides, if we go together, we can settle our score," Kero said as he floated over to Suppi with a warm smile Suppi did not return.

Everyone except Kero and Yue spent the next hour packing their belongings. "Do you really think Sakura's alright?" Kero asked Yue.

Yue stood for a while, watching Li as a large winged creature came to his window and attacked him.

"Are you ready now?" Eriol asked. "If you are we'll leave now."

"Well, I should probably go tell Touya what's going on. He was kinda upset last night when Sakura didn't appear back home."

"We shouldn't be gone too long. I'm sure we'll be back before Touya does anything drastic," Yue said.

"Alright, then. Let's go," Eriol said as he began the incantation that would lead him to the Earth Realm.

"Powers of Fire,  
Powers of Earth,  
Open the Path,  
Create the Portal.

Powers of Wind,  
Powers of Water,  
Powers of Thunder,  
Release the Portal.

Powers of Light,  
Powers of Dark,  
Intertwine yourselves,  
Open the Portal.

"Path of Earth,  
Strong and sturdy,  
Create a path,  
To solid rock."

A Portal opened a few feet in front of Eriol. "Well, let's go," Eriol said as he stepped through the semi-transparent Portal with Yue, Kero, Suppi and Ruby.

* * *

"Sigma, please hurry! Li could be hurt!" Meiling cried as she half-ran, half-tripped up the cracked staircase towards her room.

"I'm running as fast as I can!" Sigma lied as he walked up the steps after Meiling.

"I'm going to get to Li first. Hurry!" Meiling yelled as she stumbled a little faster up the winding staircase.

"Tomoyo, do you know who that was?" Sigma asked.

"No. I was going to ask you if you knew. Could he be the Summoner that you've been looking for?"

"Maybe, but I don't see what someone that powerful could possibly want with a bunch of kids," Sigma said. "I think the Council may have to meet again. I'll have to call the other members after I see to Li." Sigma reached the top of the stairs and turned to Meiling's open room.

"Li! Are you ok? What's wrong?" Tomoyo asked as she saw Li holding himself up with his sword.

"I beat it," Li gasped as he fell over with Meiling trying to support him.

"Is he going to be ok?" Meiling asked.

"He'll be fine. I'll get some healing herbs from my garden. I'm sure…" Sigma stopped as he felt a tinge of magical energy coming from the direction of the Portal. _That better not be him again!_

"That better not be who?" Tomoyo asked.

Sigma stared at Tomoyo for a few seconds before realizing he had spoken aloud. "I just felt some magical energy coming from the Portal the three of you came through a few days ago. I'll be right back. I'm going to gather the herbs and see who that was."

"Let me come with you," Tomoyo cried as she followed Sigma. "I think I know who it is."

"Who?" Sigma asked as he turned to Tomoyo.

"It could be Eriol, the one that gave us the spells and books to begin with," Tomoyo replied hopefully. "He could have come after us. Maybe he's rescued Sakura already."

"Alright. Come on then," Sigma said. "We'll see who it is first. Then, we'll take care of Li. Meiling, stay here. You need some rest for that leg to heal completely. I'll bring you some ointment for it later."

Sigma walked out of the room with Tomoyo following him. _I hope Tomoyo's right. As long as it's not him again. I don't know if I could stand another attack right now._ Sigma thought.

He walked out of his castle, into the cool night air, followed by Tomoyo, and went to greet the blue-haired kid that was approaching with what seemed to be a panther with butterfly wings, an angel, a large fairy, also with butterfly wings, and a lion with an angel's wings.

"Eriol!" Tomoyo cried as she ran up to hug him. "Have you found Sakura?"

"No. I have no idea where she is, but I'm going to help you look for her. Who's that?"

"I am Sigma, the ruler of this Realm. You must be the Eriol that I've heard about. These are?" Sigma asked, gesturing at the four figures near Eriol.

"I'm Ruby Moon, and this is Spinel Sun. We're Eriol's sun and moon guardians. Those are Yue and Keroberos, Sakura's sun and moon guardians."

"I see. Come in. I'm afraid I can't offer you too much hospitality right now. We're recovering from a large attack on the castle by an unknown force. I'll be happy to help you how I can, though."

"Thank you. I have a few questions I'd like for you to answer if you're not too busy," Eriol said.

"Not at all, what would you like to know?" Sigma responded dryly.

"Does time here in the Realms always travel faster than that in our world?"

"No, of course not. The ratio of time speed here to that of your time back home changes quite often. There's really no specific pattern as to how the time changes, but usually it changes once every time both places are, in some way, synchronized."

"Alright. Thank you. Do you have rooms in this large castle of yours that we can stay in tonight?"

"Of course. Would you like your rooms near your friends'?" Sigma asked as he led them into the castle.

"Yes, please," Eriol said, glancing quickly at Tomoyo.

Sigma led them up the winding staircase and showed them a room about fifteen feet away from Li's. "Here you are. Will you all be staying in the same room?"

"Yes, we will," Eriol replied.

"Alright. Li's room is right next to the staircase on the same side as yours and Tomoyo and Meiling's is opposite his. I will be back after I see to Li's wounds," Sigma said.

"Do you need any help?" Tomoyo offered before Sigma reached the staircase.

"No, I can manage," Sigma responded. _Well, more guests. All of this started with the three of them. It's just as well that they're here and not out where someone can get them. I need to find out who it was that attacked me. I'll have to speak with this Eriol kid over dinner. If we _have_ dinner…_

* * *

"Eriol, why are you here?" Tomoyo asked.

"I was originally going to just send Keroberos and Yue after you, but they convinced me to come. What's wrong with Li?" Eriol asked.

"He fought a giant falcon creature during the battle that just happened. He got hurt pretty badly and Sigma's going to get some herbs to treat him with," Tomoyo replied.

"I see. Who attacked?" Eriol asked.

"We don't know. There was this man in black armor that hovered over the Realm along with thousands of creatures all over the place. He said he wanted the three of us and would destroy the Realm if Sigma didn't just give us up."

"He didn't do a very good job destroying the Realm," Suppi said.

"Sigma made a giant tidal wave of earth and sent it at all the creatures. Then the man left and said he'd come back for us later."

"How did Sigma send a giant tidal wave at them?" Kero asked.

"I'm not sure. He does something with some Power Sphere or something. It's this energy source for the Earth Realm and he uses it to do different things. I never asked him how he does it."

"Let's take a look at Li. Where's Meiling?" Eriol asked as he led the way to Li's room.

"She's with Li. Is there anything you can do for him?"

"We'll see. How badly is he hurt?"

"I didn't see. He just fell over after telling us he beat the creature. If you can't do anything, Sigma will." Tomoyo said, a little disappointed.

"What's Sigma going to do?" Kero asked.

"I don't know. He's going to get herbs right now. Other than that, I have no idea what he might do."

"Eriol! What are you doing here?" Meiling asked as Eriol entered the room.

"I decided to come help you find Sakura."

"We've already found her. She's in the Dark Realm somewhere," Meiling said.

"What's wrong with your leg?" Eriol asked, looking at the bandages on Meiling's leg.

"It got caught in a crack right after we stepped out of the Portal to the Earth Realm. Li got it out, but it still hurts."

"Tomoyo, watch out!" Kero cried as he quickly changed forms to protect her and Yue put up a shield.

A glowing red tentacle appeared out of thin air and hit the shield just as it was put up. Seconds later, the rest of the creature materialized. "You will come with me! My master would have a word with you!" the eight-tentacled creature hissed.

"What are you doing here, _sphienent_?" Sigma asked once he arrived.

"Ah, Lord Sigma, what a pleasure to meet you. My master has sent me to fetch this girl from you along with the other two travelers. I trust you won't object?"

"Leave my Realm at once!" Sigma yelled, approaching the _sphienent_.

"Perhaps this will change your mind," the _sphienent_ said, handing Sigma a small sheet of paper.

Sigma hurriedly unfolded the paper and read the following:

"_**My servant humbly requests that you release from your custody the three travelers that have arrived in your Realm. Failure to do so will result in the destruction of your Realm.**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**The Summoner of Spirits"**_

"Nice try. Anyone can sign a paper with that name. Tell your master, whoever he is, that I will not give up the 'travelers' without a fight. If he'd like a fight, I'll give him one along with the rest of the Council. We don't take threats lightly!" Sigma replied, thrusting the letter back at the _sphienent_.

"Perhaps you do not understand what my master has written in that letter. I shall give you an hour to make your decision. If you do not change your mind by then…" Just as suddenly as it appeared, the _sphienent_ disappeared, leaving only the letter from his master as it gently floated to the ground.

"Well, I'll tend to Li now. If it appears again, let me know. I'll make sure he can't leave this Realm the next time he slithers into my castle!"

* * *

Li ran silently through the forest. _I'm dead if it catches me!_ he thought. Suddenly, the trees came to an end and he stepped out into a clearing. _No!_ he thought as the shadow of a large bird passed over the clearing. "Leave me alone!" he yelled at the bird that was nowhere to be seen.

He ran through the clearing and down the hill he was on when, suddenly, he was standing within a dark room, the forest and hills no longer around him. "Sakura! What are you doing here?" Li asked when Sakura approached him.

"Li, leave me here. I don't want to see you again! I can't believe you could do that to me!" Sakura said in tears. "Get away from me!" Sakura turned and ran, fading into the darkness.

"Sakura! Come back! What did I do?" Li asked desperately. He ran off in Sakura's direction. What seemed like hours later, he found Sakura on her knees, crying. "Sakura, what's wrong?"

"Li? You came! Li, I'm sorry. Please, run. You have to! You have to leave me here and forget about me. You must!" Sakura said through sobs as she faded away.

"Sakura! Tell me what's wrong!" Li yelled into the darkness after her.

"Forget…" Sakura said as she disappeared completely.

_What's going on?_ Li wondered. Li ran as fast as he could, determined to find the solution to the puzzle. _What do I have to do? What's this weird feeling I have?_

"Li, I hope you take Sakura's final words into consideration. It would be a shame for her to die in vain," came a mystical voice from the dark.

"Who are you? Where's Sakura?" Li shouted.

"She's dead. There's nothing you can do now. Go home!"

"No! She can't be! I won't let this happen!" Li yelled as he drew his sword.

"You have no choice. It is already done!" the voice yelled.

"…already done…"

"…done…"

"…no choice…"

"…already done…" came the echoes of the mysterious voice.

"What do you mean? What happened to her?" Li cried desperately as the voice faded.

"She died… To save you…"

"…save you…"

"…for you…"

"…hope…"

"What do you mean? She can't be dead! No! This isn't real!" Li yelled as the voice disappeared altogether.

Li ran after the echoes, hoping to find the source of the voice.

"Leave… It is her final wish…" came another soft voice.

"…her final wish…" a different voice echoed.

"…leave this place…" came yet another voice.

"Who are you?"

"The Keepers of the Gate…" came one voice.

"We keep the souls of the soulless…" another said.

"It is her final wish…" echoed a third voice.

"Leave this place…" repeated a fourth voice.

"We will watch her now…" came the second voice again.

"The Keepers of what gate? What's going on?" Li asked to the dark again, when suddenly a large gate made of red stone appeared in front of him.

"This gate…" said the third voice.

"Enter, and you shall see her…" whispered the first voice.

"Beware… Heed her advice…" repeated the fourth.

Li stepped through the large gate and found himself in the clearing he was in what seemed like hours ago. The only difference was the presence of Sakura, standing in the center of the clearing.

"Li… run away… You can't help me now..." Sakura said in an odd voice that seemed to echo into itself. "You must leave… If not… the world is doomed…"

"Sakura! Come with me! Tell me more! I have to know what's happening!" Li shouted. He ran over to Sakura and grabbed her arm. "Let's go!" he said.

Sakura stood, unmoving. She stared expressionlessly at the empty space in front of her, her eyes hollow and soulless. "I can't, Li. You have to leave me now… Go!" Sakura said as one of her Cards appeared in front of her. "You must!" she cried as the Card activated and set her aflame.

"Sakura! What are you doing? No!" Li yelled as the word faded out of existence.

* * *

Li sat up in bed with cold sweat on his face to find Tomoyo and Meiling asleep in chairs next to him. _What happened? It was… a dream?_ He got out of his bed, careful not to disturb the two girls. _Where is everyone?_ As he left the bedroom, he noticed a strange aura that he recognized as Eriol's.

"You're awake. Sigma would like to speak with you," Eriol said as he appeared in the doorway.

"Eriol? What are you doing here?"

"I arrived when you were unconscious. Sigma's downstairs. He said it was important that you spoke to him right away."

Li walked drowsily out of his room and down the stairs. A few minutes later, he found Sigma enjoying a cup of tea at the head of the dinner table. "Good evening. Would you like something to drink?" Sigma asked when he saw Li.

"No, I'm fine. Did you want to see me?"

"Yes. Sit down. I'd like to talk to you about your journey to the Dark Realm. I need to know whether or not you'll allow me to accompany you."

"Sure. You can come. Is there anything else?" Li asked impatiently.

"No, that's all. How are your wounds healing?" Sigma asked.

"They're fine. What was that? The creature that attacked me, I mean."

"It was a strong creature from the Dark Realm. I'm surprised you were able to beat it."

"I see. Do you know who sent it after me?"

"You have no idea what was going on when you fought that creature, do you?"

"Well, I know that there was a war of sorts going on outside. Other than that, I have no clue. Speaking of which, aren't you afraid whoever sent those creatures will attack again when you're gone?"

"I spoke to Matriana, the ruler of the Water Realm. She and I put a spell on this Realm to keep things from entering it without me. In answer to your earlier question, no, I don't know who's after the three of you."

"The three of us? That thing was after all of us?" Li asked disbelievingly.

"No. That thing, the _dragharbtek_, was just after you. The other creatures were all attacking my castle for all of you. But, in essence, yes, the creature was after all three of you."

"Why do you want to come with us?"

"I want to meet this Shadow kid that rules the Dark Realm now. He's got a nice name for the ruler of _that_ Realm. I need to… speak… with him," Sigma said.

"Is he the one that has Sakura?"

"Yes. Anyways, if there's nothing else, you can go. I've got to make preparations before I leave. Good night."

"Good night," Li said. He turned and decided he would talk to Eriol.

"I told you to tell your master I wasn't letting them go. Leave my castle!" Li heard Sigma's voice say from afar. He turned again and found Sigma confronting what looked like a half-human, half-snake creature with eight tentacles where hands should have been.

"I see," the creature said. "If that is your decision, then I suppose it can't be helped. I shall inform my master. Enjoy your precious Realm while you still can," the creature threatened as it disappeared.

"What was that?" Li asked after it had gone.

"Nothing important. Go back to sleep. You'll need rest before we leave tomorrow," Sigma said as turned to leave.

Li turned and started up the stairs again. _I hope we find Sakura soon. Then, we can all leave. Together, _he thought as he arrived at the golden double doors to his room.

"So, we're leaving tomorrow then?" Eriol asked.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"To help you find Sakura, of course. Don't you want his help, kid?" Kero asked as he hovered in the air above Eriol's head.

"I suppose I could use his help," Li said as he walked into his room.

"Li! Are you alright?" Tomoyo asked sleepily.

"I'm fine. You too can go back to your room now. I'll be ok."

"We… don't want to. We're scared, so we decided to all stay in here. You don't mind, do you?" Tomoyo asked.

"It's ok. There's only one other bed in this room, though. Where are you going to sleep?"

"Meiling and I can share a bed. Eriol's comfortable where he is, and I'm sure Yue's fine up one the roof. I'm not sure where Ruby is, but Kero and Suppi are small enough to fit just about anywhere," Tomoyo said. She walked over to Meiling and woke her up. "Meiling, Li's up. Meiling?"

"Five more minutes…" Meiling said drowsily. "Just five more…"

"Meiling!" Tomoyo cried indignantly. "Li, can you help me carry her over to the bed?"

"It's ok. Just leave her there. You two can have that bed. I'll take the other one."

"Ok. Good night, Li."

"Good night, Tomoyo," Li said and fell onto his bed. _I'm so tired. I hope we find Sakura soon._

"We will, Li. We will," Tomoyo said reassuringly.

_I said that out loud? _"Thanks Tomoyo. Good night." Slowly, Li fell asleep, knowing that tomorrow, he would be a Realm closer to Sakura.

* * *

So, how was it? I thought it was a pretty boring chapter. Not much happened, but it was necessary. I think chapter nine will be much more interesting. Here's a "preview" (series of questions for you to ponder until chapter 9 is up.)

Li's about to travel to the Dark Realm. How many people are going with him? What was that dream all about? What's Shadow going to do about it? Surely he won't just let them walk in and take Sakura, will he?

Sigma's going to be leaving his Realm completely exposed except for some spell that he whipped up with Matriana. When/If he returns, will his Realm still be there?

And here's the challenge again:

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery, scooby-doo fans. What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	9. Discovering New Powers

Author's note (A/N): Well… It's still the same. I don't think it's going to change anytime soon. I'll add one thing. Since Li didn't confess, it logically follows that I'm also assuming that most of episode 70 didn't occur. Well, that means that Li didn't leave for Hong Kong. So…

Previously:

Eriol arrives in the Earth Realm and decides to help find Sakura. A _sphienent_ appears and tells Sigma that its master is the Summoner of Spirits, threatening to destroy his Realm if he doesn't give him Tomoyo, Meiling, and Li. Sakura recently tried to escape, but was caught by Shadow. Now… on to the chapter.

**Chapter 9: Discovering New Powers**

"Shadow?" Sakura asked, walking to the dining room. "Shadow, are you here?" Sakura peeked around the all before walking into the kitchen, in search for Shadow and something to eat. _I hope he doesn't mind if I get myself some cereal. It's still early so maybe he's not awake yet._

"I'm here. I see you're already getting whatever food you want. Well, enjoy your breakfast. I've got some… errands… I have to run," Shadow said, startling Sakura and causing her to spill some milk. "See you later. Oh, about the schedule that I gave you, we won't be following it today. I'll call for you when or if we have a 'test'."

"Ok, thank you," Sakura said with a cheery smile. She poured herself a glass of milk and went over to the refrigerator to find something to eat. _Hmmm… I think I'll have a sandwich. _She got out some peanut butter and found some strawberry jelly for her sandwich. _What am I going to do all day? _Sakura wondered as she ate her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

After she finished, she picked up her plate and put it in the sink, still wondering what she would do for the remainder of the day. _I guess I'll go take a shower. I'll think of what to do after that._

She quickly walked back to her room and picked out some clothes. She walked into the bathroom, turned on the water and began to undress when she heard an odd hiss outside the door. _What was that?_ She quickly redressed and desperately searched for a good hiding place.

Sakura walked up to the door, unable to find a decent hiding place, and inched it open. _No! I hope it hasn't spotted me!_ she thought as she closed the door silently. _My cards are out there! What am I going to do?_

"I know you're in the bathroom, little girl. Come out, or I'll come in," came a hiss from the other side of the door.

_No! No! No! I can't let it catch me. Where's Shadow when you need him?_ Sakura stood in the middle of the bathroom, feeling rather doomed. "Help!" she cried out, hoping that Shadow would be around to hear.

"You have three seconds. Three," the hiss came again.

"Leave me alone!"

"Two!"

_There has to be something I can do!_ Sakura thought desperately.

"One!"

Suddenly, Sakura remembered the ring Shadow had given her. _I hope this works!"_

"Time's up! I'm coming in!" came the voice again as the door shattered.

Sakura stood, facing the _sphienent_ that had just entered the room. She raised the ring and pointed it at the _sphienent._

"Nice try, girl. You're coming with me!" the _sphienent _said as five of its eight tentacles grabbed and gagged Sakura.

"Mmmm nmmm. Mmmmmm. MMMMM!" Sakura screamed, rather muffled.

"Nothing can save you now! You belong to my master!" the _sphienent _cackled evilly.

Sakura watched in terror as her room faded out of existence to be replaced by a large prison cell. The _sphienent_ threw her into a wall and fazed through the cell bars. "My master said you had to be brought to him… intact. You should consider yourself lucky!"

Sakura fell to her knees, completely hopeless but refusing to give up. "Please, please let me go," Sakura pleaded meekly.

"I don't think my master would mind if I had a little fun. One more word out of you, and…" the _sphienent _said, glowing threateningly.

_What am I going to do?_ Sakura thought, thinking up all the possible ways she could escape, none of them practical.

"What's the matter?" the _sphienent_ hissed. "Don't want to fight? That kid, Shadow, not here to protect you?"

"What do you want with me?" Sakura yelled, frustrated.

The _sphienent_ cackled maliciously. "That's six whole words!" It lifted its tentacles and propelled them towards Sakura.

"Aaahh!" Sakura screamed as the tentacles approached.

"Stop," came a soft voice from the darkness.

"Yes, master," the _sphienent _said, bowing and shooting an evil, malicious look at Sakura.

"You may leave," the voice came again. "Help your brother with the rest of them."

"Yes, master. At once." The _sphienent_ stood up and turned to leave.

"So, Sakura, how are you?" the voice came again.

Sakura shrunk back against the wall, unsure of what to say. "Who… who are you?"

"You've been putting up a fight. It took me a while to get you here," said the voice again. "What did you hope to gain by avoiding what would inevitably happen? All you've done is gotten me rather angry. There's a price to pay for that. Would you like to pay it now? Or would you prefer a short break?"

Sakura shrank further back, pressing herself against the wall. A trickle tears came to her eyes again as she realized what the voice was implying. "Please, leave me alone. I… I'm sorry. Please?"

"Answer my question. It could be so much worse for you. Answer me," the voice said ominously.

"I… I…" Sakura stuttered. _What am I supposed to tell him?_

"Three."

"I… Please don't. I…" Sakura said, running out of both time and options..

"Two."

Sakura thought harder still, ephemeral thoughts of torture floating through her mind.

"One. Last chance," the voice said as a multi-colored, almost golden glow surrounded something long and slender in the dark.

"I don't know… Please… Please let me go… please…" Sakura said pressing herself against the wall as if she could somehow escape through the stone.

"I guess I'll give it to you now," the voice said as the glowing, multi-colored object whizzed through the air towards Sakura.

"No! Please!" Sakura screamed as she discovered the whip coming towards her.

"Now or later. Your choice," the voice said. "If you don't choose…"

"Please… leave… leave me alone!" she yelled, screaming loudly just as the whip came within inches of her arm.

Just then, the ring in her fingers emanated a dark black aura and directed a large bolt of energy at the multi-colored whip, enveloping it though the glow shone through the darkness.

"Nice try," the voice said as the whip's glowing outlined grew brighter. The energy bolt around the whip disappeared, seemingly absorbed into the whip. Seconds later, the same energy bolt shot straight upwards and blew a hole threw the ceiling. "Now, since you won't make a decision. I'll have to punish you until you do. Any last requests?" the voice asked.

Sakura pressed herself flat against the wall, hoping to avoid whatever punishment was certain to ensue.

"Fine," the voice said, and the whip slashed diagonally downwards, creating a crescent shaped line of energy. The voice mumbled a few indistinct words and the crescent moon was hurled towards Sakura at an eye-wrenching speed.

Lacking even the time to scream, Sakura was hit directly across the chest by the chest before finding her voice and producing a blood curdling scream in the darkness.

* * *

Sakura bolted up in her bed, cold sweat beading on her face. She got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom. Splashing cold water on her face, she pondered her ephemeral memories of the dream. _Who was that? It… he? was so strong. _

"Sakura," came Shadow's voice from outside the bathroom door.

Sakura leapt three feet into the air. "Y-Yes?" she said shakily.

"I need to talk to you. When you're done, come to the dining room," Shadow said.

"O-Ok," Sakura said, trying to steady her hand enough to turn off the water. "I-I'm r-ready."

"Good. It's probably better if you don't walk alone. Not now, at least," Shadow said when Sakura opened the bathroom door.

"Wh-What's going on?" Sakura asked, still attempting to calm her voice.

"You're shaking all over. You tell me." Shadow grabbed Sakura's wrist and gently pulled her out the door. "Do you want some breakfast?"

"B-Breakfast? Wh-What time is it?"

"It's around five. Do you want some? You look a bit pale," Shadow said as he sat her down on one side of the table.

"Can… can you turn on the… the lights, please?" Sakura asked unsteadily, still trembling from her nightmare.

"Sure. You sure you don't want something to eat? It'll help if you do," Shadow said as the thirty candles brightened the room.

"I… I'll have… some p-pancakes. I… I'll just have… two."

"Two pancakes. I'll be a second."

"Let me come with you!" Sakura said with a sudden burst of energy.

"I'll only be out of the room for a minute or two, but if you must," Shadow said, motioning for her to follow.

Sakura followed silently, holding her hands tightly at her side to keep them from shaking. "Th-Thank you."

Shadow walked into the kitchen and heated a couple of pancakes with the microwave. "What do you want on them?"

"Uh… It doesn't matter."

Shadow took the pancakes from the microwave and grabbed some maple syrup. "Let's go."

Sakura followed him out as he set the pancakes down. "Thank you," she said, managing not to stutter.

"Ok, now that you have something to eat, we need to talk about something," Shadow said in a foreboding tone a few minutes later.

Sakura looked up from her plate to see Shadow staring at her. "Wh-What is it?"

"Do you have your Cards with you?"

"Y-Yes…"

"Release your staff."

"Why?" Sakura asked, taken aback.

"Just do it," Shadow replied.

Sakura did as she was told and released her staff.

"Good. Now I need you to take out the ring I gave you. Make sure you never lose it. Focus all your magical energies on that, and use Fiery to incinerate this block of wood."

"That one on the table?"

"Yes. Now, when you use Fiery, make sure you're focused on the ring. Use your magic through the ring."

"Ok, I'll try," Sakura said, determined to succeed in whatever task Shadow had put her to. She concentrated on the ring in her hands, picturing every detail she could remember on it: the swirling lines that adorned the outside of it, the smooth, elegant curve on the inside, and the tiny engraving of a circle with three lines, broken where they should meet at the center of the circle. She poured all of her energy and concentration into the ring and tossed the Fiery Card into the air, twirling her staff as she did so. She pointed her staff at Fiery, still focusing on the ring, now floating in front of her in a sphere of dark energy, and yelled, "Fiery!"

A burst of fire shot out from the Card floating next to Sakura's staff and soared towards the wooden block. Seconds before the ball hit, the wooden block burst into flames. After the fireball hit and disappeared, all that was left of the block was a tiny pile of ashes.

"Wh-What happened?" Sakura asked.

"You used the energy from that ring to strengthen your Card's attack. I want you to fight a s_phienent _again."

"WHAT?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"Not a real one. The one I had you fight last time."

"It wasn't real? What was it?"

"Get ready," Shadow said as he took out a gray and black card. "Create!" he said, a little louder than usual. Seconds later, a s_phienent_ appeared between him and Sakura. "Good luck. Do what you just did. Use whatever Cards you feel necessary."

"Ok," Sakura said, directing her magic back at the ring. The ring floated up into the air as she pulled out The Arrow. "Arrow!" she cried, using the ring as a medium for her magical energies.

Arrow emerged from its Card and blasted the s_phienent_ with a wave of energized arrows. The _sphienent_ roared as it stumbled backwards and disappeared.

"Good," Shadow said as his Create Card floated down to his hands.

"Shadow, how did I…" Sakura said as she lost consciousness and fell into Shadow's arms, drained of her magical energies.

"Won't be long now. Hang in there, Sakura. Hang in there."

* * *

"Wake up, Tomoyo, Meiling."

"Huh? Li? It's… five thirty in the morning. Why… Oh," Tomoyo said. "Ok. I'm awake."

"Go tell Sigma we're almost ready. I'll wake Meiling and come after you."

"Where's Eriol?" Tomoyo asked.

"He's already down there. He woke up earlier than I did to talk to Sigma."

"Ok. I'll see you downstairs!" Tomoyo cried as she walked down the stairs.

Tomoyo walked out of the room, eager to help find Sakura. "Eriol! Good morning!" she said when she saw Eriol walking up the stairs.

"Good morning, Tomoyo. Are you ready?" Eriol asked.

"Yes, I'm ready. Does Sigma want to speak with us before we leave?"

"No, but he'll want to know that you're ready. I'll be up in my room getting my stuff."

"Ok. See you later, Eriol." Tomoyo waved goodbye to Eriol as she continued down the stairs with a smile on her face.

"Tomoyo! Good to see you. Is everyone ready?" Sigma asked when he saw Tomoyo approach.

"Li asked me to tell you that he's almost ready. I'm sure he'll be down in a few minutes."

"Alright. Here. Hold on to this," Sigma said, handing Tomoyo a small blue gem.

"What's this?"

"It should help protect you against wild creatures in any of the Realms. I only have three of them, so don't lose it."

"Ok. Who gets the other two?"

"Well, since the only other person that needs it is Meiling, I'll give one to her and hold on to the other myself until someone needs it. Your friend, Sakura, has magical powers, right?" Sigma asked.

"Yes," Tomoyo replied.

"Good. I think I'll give it to her anyways," Sigma said.

"Do you know exactly where she is?"

"Well, when I spoke to that Shadow kid, he said she was in his custody. I guess that means she's in his castle. We'll go there first."

"Do you think he's the one that took Sakura?"

"He could be, but again, I don't see what a ruler would want with her. My guess is that some creature was attracted to her magical powers, even if she wasn't in the Realm, and decided to capture her. Of course, it doesn't make any sense for him to keep Sakura there. We'll have to find out when we get there."

"I… think I understand. Oh, look! Li's here."

"Good morning, Sigma."

"Hey, kid! Are you ready?" asked Kero as he came down behind Eriol.

Li walked over to Tomoyo and Sigma, ignoring Kero. "Kero, you should be more polite. Li has a name," Tomoyo said.

"To such a magnificent creature such as me, he is nothing but a mere kid. He should refer to me as – "

"Conceited," Li said.

"What was that?"

Li turned away and ostentatiously examined his belongings, a slight smirk on his face as Kero ranted at him loudly. "Ok, Sigma. I'm ready."

"Where's Meiling?" Tomoyo asked.

"She's getting ready. She should be down in a few minutes."

"Ok, I'll go get her. Do you want to come, Kero?" Tomoyo asked.

"Anything to get away from the kid," Kero replied and floated over to Tomoyo.

Tomoyo smiled at Kero and led him upstairs.

"Kero, aren't you worried about Sakura?"

"Nope. She's alright. I know she's still alive, and I'm sure she'll make it. She's probably already beaten whatever it is that took her and is just waiting for us."

Tomoyo looked at Kero, kept silent, and continued up the stairs.

"Are you worried?" Kero asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"A little. Sakura's never been away for such a long time. Even though she's changed all the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards now, I… I don't know whether or not she's ok. I'm sure she'll make it, in the end, but what about right now? I… I guess I'm just a bit worried."

"Don't worry. It'll be alright. She's a very strong girl, and she has her Cards with her. I'm sure she's fine."

"Thank you, Kero. I… I'm glad you're here with Eriol. You're right. She'll be ok. She always is."

They arrived at the large double-doors to their room. "Meiling!"

"Aaaaaahhh!"

"Meiling? Meiling!" Tomoyo yelled, attempting to open the door.

"Let me!" Kero yelled as he changed forms. Keroberos shot a stream of flame at the door.

"It's not working! Go get Sigma!"

"I'm already here. We heard the scream. What's wrong?" Sigma asked.

"Meiling's trapped inside, and the door won't open!" Tomoyo cried as she continued to push at the door.

"Stand back a bit," Sigma said. He went into a sort of trance and gracefully moved his hands towards the door, blowing it to pieces.

"Help!" Meiling cried, ensnared in the _sphienent_'s tentacles.

"Ah! If it isn't _Lord_ Sigma. If you come one step closer, she will experience… breathing difficulties."

"Drop her! I warn you!" Sigma said.

"Sigma! You can't put Meiling in danger!"

"I know!" Sigma yelled exasperatedly.

"Not one step," the _sphienent _said, laughing.

"Sigma! Where are you going?" Tomoyo asked when Sigma turned around to leave.

"I feel… a magical aura," Sigma said. "It's your friend, Eriol's."

"Aaaaaahh! What's going on? Something is pulling at me! Let me go! Aaaaahhh!" the _sphienent_ cried as it released Meiling.

Meiling bolted out of the way as soon as she was released.

"You're going to pay for that. I warned you not to come back here!" Sigma hollered and formed two steel axes, surrounded by a brown aura, in his hands. "Goodbye!" he yelled as he threw the axes at the _sphienent_. The axes spiraled through the air and struck the _sphienent_ in its chest.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" It shrieked as it flew backwards, through the window, and disappeared.

"Is it… dead?" Meiling asked as she walked towards the window.

"No. They don't die so easily. It phased out of our Realm again. _sphienents_ are capable of traveling to whatever Realm they want, regardless of Portals."

"So… It's going to come back?"

"I hurt it pretty badly. I don't think that one will come back for a while. Are you ready to leave, Meiling?"

"Yes. Let's go."

"Ok. Here, take this," Sigma said, tossing Meiling a blue gemstone.

"What's this?"

"It'll protect you from wild monsters. Just keep it with you and don't lose it."

"Ok."

"Alright! Time to leave!" Sigma said, leading them all downstairs.

Tomoyo dropped back with Meiling and spoke to her. "What were you doing up there for so long?" she whispered.

"I brushed my teeth and washed my face. The stuff you usually do when you wake up."

"Did it take Li that long to wake you up?"

"What are you two whispering about?" Kero asked, popping up between them.

"Aaahh!" they both screamed.

"Kero!" Tomoyo yelled. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," he said, finding his way into Tomoyo's purse. "Did you bring any sweets?"

"Meiling! Are you alright?" Li asked as they arrived downstairs and Tomoyo assured Kero that there was nothing but her camcorder in her purse.

"I'm fine, thanks to Sigma."

"It wasn't me. It was your friend Eriol. What did you do?" Sigma asked, approaching Eriol.

"Something I did to Li a while ago," Eriol said, holding out a ball of thread.

Li shot Eriol a distasteful look and walked over to the dinner table. "We _are_ going to have breakfast, right?"

"Yes, of course. Pancakes?" Sigma asked.

"Sure, pancakes will be fine."

Sigma went into the kitchen to make pancakes for them. A few minutes later, he came out with three pancakes for each person. They all, except for Yue, spent the next thirty minutes eating breakfast in silence. Afterwards, they all grabbed their belongings and followed Sigma out of the castle.

"Ok. We'll take the Portal all of you came through. It's the Central Portal for this Realm, and it's closest to us," Sigma informed them as he walked towards it with his large hiking backpack.

"Umm… Sigma? What did you pack?" Meiling asked, staring blankly at the large backpack on his back.

"Herbs, food, water, sleeping bags, and a communication orb."

"That fills up that gigantic backpack?"

"I brought three sleeping bags," Sigma explained.

"Sigma, can you answer a few of my questions?" Eriol asked.

"Sure. What are they?"

"Where are the Realms in comparison to where we came from?"

"I don't know that I can answer you right now in such a way that you'll understand. I'll let you know when we take a break at the Portal. It's only about five minutes away," Sigma said. "Remind me when we get there."

"Ok," Eriol said, falling back to talk with Tomoyo.

"Why do you want to know that?" Tomoyo asked.

"It's good to know where we are, and I'd like to know more about these Realms that Clow had such a hard time studying."

They all walked in silence until they reached the Portal, four minutes later.

"Ok Eriol, I'll answer your question now," Sigma said, sitting down on the floor. "Imagine this," Sigma drew a straight line on the ground. "To be your world. This," Sigma drew another line, perpendicular to the first. "Is the Earth Realm. The rest of the Realms are parallel to this Realm, and there are likely other worlds parallel to your own.

"However, the Realms, like your world, are obviously not straight lines, but spatial, three dimensional areas."

"Explain to me, again, how time runs in this Realm compared to the world we came from."

"Time in all of the Realms run at the same pace. However, this pace is usually different from that of your world and is always changing. When something in your world, or one of those parallel to yours, happens at the same time as something in one of the Realms, like two people dreaming the same dream, or traveling through a Portal from your world to mine, the flow of time alters and either speeds up or slows down."

"I see. Can you explain why I can see rocks and ground above me?"

"Oh, right. I'm sure that's very confusing to you. Well, I know that on your world, Earth, that gravity pulls to the center of the Earth. However, here, in all the Realms, gravity pushes away from the center of the world, where the Realm's invisible Power Sphere is, rather than towards it."

"Is there anything on the outside of all these rocks and ground?"

"No. It's not possible to go outside of it because the dirt and rocks continue infinitely in this particular Realm."

"Thank you. That's all for now," Eriol said and walked away from Sigma.

"Alright, let's go!" Sigma shouted, turning to the portal to recite the incantation.

"Shrouded path,  
Hiding danger,  
Unveil the way,  
To the shadow!"

The portal shimmered for a moment and settled again. "Ok. It's ready. Now I just have to set up that ward that Matriana helped me make. I'll meet you on the other side. Once you step through, stay together!" Sigma warned.

They entered the Portal in pairs. Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon went first, followed by Keroberos and Yue. Then, Li and Meiling went and finally, Tomoyo and Eriol. Sigma turned from the portal and found the threads of Earth energy flowing from the Earth Power Sphere. He felt for the Water energy threads already in place by Matriana and weaved his own into them.

"This should keep everything from entering my Realm until I return," Sigma said and stepped through the icy, cold Portal to join Li, Tomoyo, Eriol, Meling, Yue, Ruby Moon, Keroberos, and Spinel Sun on the other side.

* * *

Great chapter (well... I think so). Not too much happened, but they're going to meet up soon! (We hope) Well, I hope that you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it. Once again, ask me any questions. I'll usually answer any yes/no questions you give. Please, please don't hesitate to ask anything. Here's some "to remember for next time" stuff:

There are 9 people going after Sakura. They say "there's safety in numbers," but I think "they" are wrong.

Sakura gets captured in a dream by the person that controls the _sphienents._ When will this actually happen? Will she be strong enough to face it now that Shadow's taught her to use the power of the ring he gave her?

And again, the challenge:

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.

I know… it's repetitive… so figure it out!


	10. The Search Divided

Author's Note (A/N): I don't know why I do this every time. Well, you shouldn't be reading this chapter if you haven't read the previous ones. You could get very confused. Please go back and read the other ones if you'd like to know (or remember) what the Author's Note usually says.

Previously:

Sakura learns a new way of using her magic! Shadow teaches her to use said magic in unison with the ring he gave her, causing her powers to grow. However, using this power twice knocks her out. Sigma, along with everyone else, decides to finally leave. They leave the Earth Realm in a group of nine after Sigma seals off his Realm with a spell he and Matriana, the ruler of the Water Realm, make up.

**Chapter 10: The Search Divided**

Li stood up on the other side of the Portal and surveyed the dark land. Staring out across the dark, contorted landscape, Li could barely make out the ground beneath his feet. A few dead and wilted plants rustled beneath his feet as he listened for any sign of trouble.

"Li? I can barely see you!" Meiling said.

"I'm right here. Tomoyo? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Li. Eriol's here with me, and I think that's Yue up in front. Where's Sigma?" Tomoyo replied.

"I don't think he's here yet. Did anyone pack a candle?"

"I did," came Sigma's voice from the Portal.

"Sigma! Good, now we're all together," Tomoyo said when she heard Sigma's voice.

"Alright, everyone, come here. I have five candles. Pair up," Sigma told them.

"Alright. Let's go in the same pairs we went through the Portal in," Tomoyo said, the darkness seemingly not dampening her mood at all.

"Ok. I'll go with Meiling. You with Eriol, Yue and Kero, and Ruby with Spinel."

"Then I'll take the fifth candle. Alright, come get your candles," Sigma said, lighting the five candles he held. A small sphere of light surrounded the candles, barely enough to light the faces of those holding them.

"Why doesn't the light reach further?" Tomoyo asked.

"Well, first off, these candles aren't exactly a very powerful source of light. Second, this is the Dark Realm, so light isn't exactly welcome here," Sigma explained.

"Stick together," Eriol said, firmly taking Tomoyo's hand.

"Ok. Let's go find Sakura," Tomoyo said.

Everyone nodded in agreement and turned to Sigma, signaling for him to lead the way. The party set out towards where Sigma claimed the castle used to be. "Be careful. In this Realm, the land can suddenly change. It will… warp… at times. Stay close to each other."

Everyone nodded solemnly. They followed Sigma's lead for what seemed like ages. "Time for lunch," Sigma said. "Let's have a headcount. Do we have everyone?"

Li turned to the others and counted. "Nine, counting me and you."

"Good. I have sandwiches and dessert for later. Here, everyone can have up to two, if you need it."

Silently, everyone except for Yue approached Sigma for food. They spent the next half-hour eating, the silence broken only by low murmurs between Eriol and Tomoyo, seemingly enjoying themselves. When they had all finished, Sigma called them to leave.

"Oh, Li, about the books I took from you, I'll be keeping them, since you shouldn't be needing them anymore. I'll give you a list of incantations for the portals, but I want to keep the book," Sigma said, not meaning it as a request.

Again, they took up walking, now completely silent. A few minutes later, Sigma changed course, turning ninety degrees to the left, and lead them for another hour or two.

"Do you know where the castle is?" Meiling asked Sigma.

"Yes, I can feel the presence of someone, a person, that can wield magic. That's either Sakura, or that Shadow kid."

"How much further?" Meiling whined.

"Not far, if the land doesn't change again," Sigma said. "Just stay close. We should find them soon."

Meiling dropped back to walk with Li again, whispering disappointedly. They continued on their course for a few more minutes before Sigma changed directions again. "The land changed again. Is everyone still here?"

"I count seven. I don't see Tomoyo or Eriol anywhere," Li said.

"We're here!" Tomoyo cried from the darkness. "Our candle just went – Aaaaahhh!"

"Tomoyo? Tomoyo!" Li cried. "Eriol, are you here?"

"I'm right here. Tomoyo seems to have disappeared. We need to find her," Eriol said, rather calm.

"Do you know what happened to her? Did something take her?"

"No, I had her hand a moment before she disappeared. Then, it just phased out of existence," Eriol said.

"Sigma, do you know –"

"Li? Li, where did you go?" Meiling cried.

"Stay calm. They can't have gone too far," Sigma said.

"Are we missing anyone else?"

"Eriol, watch out!" Yue cried as a blue crescent bow appeared in one of his hands and an arrow appeared in the other.

Eriol released his staff and rolled away from a large claw that swiped at where he had just been. A split-second later, Yue's arrow collided with the claw, causing the creature to howl in pain as it phased out of existence.

"What was that?" Meiling asked.

"I'm not sure. If it's the creature that took Li and Tomoyo, we can't do anything about it. We'll have to make it to the castle first. It's just ahead," Sigma said, leading them forward.

"But what about Li! You can't just leave him! Why doesn't that jewel you gave Tomoyo work?" Meiling screamed.

"We can't do anything about it. He'll be able to take care of himself for the time being. We'll get Shadow, if he's the ruler, to help find them. He'll know this place better than any of us do."

"Fine!" Meiling yelled, stomping over to Eriol and ostentatiously holding a conversation about Sigma's inconsideration.

The seven of them spent the next hour finding the castle. When they arrived at the large building, Sigma stopped them and knocked on the large door. There was no response. "Hello? This is Sigma, lord and ruler of the Earth Realm. I come seeking Shadow, lord and ruler of the Dark Realm!" Sigma yelled, hoping someone would answer the door.

"Hold on!" came a voice from above them. A minute later, a boy with neatly combed, black hair, dark, brown eyes, and gray clothes opened the door. "Welcome, Sigma. Who are those that you bring with you?"

"Those are friends. We come in search of Sakura. You said she was in your custody. May we come in?"

"Sure, come on in," the boy said, ushering them into the dimly lit castle. "Would you like something to eat?"

"I'm fine. Do any of you want something?" Sigma said.

"No, I'm fine."

"Do you have cake?" Kero asked.

"No, I'm afraid I don't. I can give you other sweets if you'd like, Kero."

"How do you know my name?" Kero asked, studying the boy.

"Huh? I know your name? What give you such an idea as that?" the boy said, returning Kero's puzzled stare.

"Never mind. I thought I heard you say my name. Did any of you hear it?"

"I didn't, and I was standing right next to him," Meiling said.

"Still, you remind me of someone. Have we met before?" Kero asked.

"Hmmm… I don't think we have…" the boy said, seemingly lost in thought. "Let's just forget about it. What are your names?"

Ruby stepped forward to introduce everyone again. "My name is Ruby Moon. This is Yue, Kero, Lord Sigma of the Earth Realm, Eriol, Meiling, and Spinel Sun."

"Well, I welcome you all into my castle. Now, tell me again why you came here."

"We came looking for Sakura. You said she was in your custody. Is she not?" Sigma asked impatiently.

Eriol walked up to Sigma and whispered in his ear. "Something's not right here. I'll be right back," he said and motioned for Spinel and Ruby to follow him.

"Eriol, right? Where are you going?" the boy asked as Eriol walked away.

"I'm going for a stroll. I don't like being in any one place for too long," Eriol responded.

"I see. Well, I'll see you in a little bit then. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Before you leave, you should know my name. My name is Shadow," he said.

"Thank you, Shadow. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be back after a short walk."

"No problem. I shall have a talk with Sigma here until you return," Shadow said.

Eriol walked away from the others with Ruby and Spinel. "They're following us," Ruby said after a few minutes.

Eriol turned to see Yue and Kero following him. "Sakura's not here, no matter what this Shadow says. Don't you feel it, Eriol?" Kero asked.

"The presence of a Clow Card. Yes, I feel it. But, it's not a Clow Card. It's different, like Sakura's Cards. These are neither hers nor Clow's," Eriol said.

"We all felt it. Is this what has been drawing Sigma?" Spinel asked.

"Yes, I believe it is. The Card we're dealing with, it's Illusion. Shadow was made with Mirror. None of this is real," Yue said.

"We have to go warn Sigma. There must be some greater power at work here," Spinel said.

"No. We'd be walking into a trap. Sigma can feel the magic from everywhere in here, not just from Shadow."

"I hope you're right. Where's Meiling?" Kero asked.

"She's with Sigma. She'll be ok. Meanwhile, we need to find where the card is acting from and who's controlling it."

"Agreed. Let's go," Kero said, changing forms.

The five of them set off to find the Illusion Card's main body. They went around to the back of the fake castle, looking for a back way in.

"What have we here?" came a voice from above them.

"Show yourself!" Yue said, forming his bow and readying an arrow.

"It seems you've figured out that this is an illusion. Well, you'll do well to keep that to yourself," the voice said as a black blur flew past. "If you walk in there again, my trap will spring. We shall meet soon!" the figure said as it blurred past them again.

"We have to go in!" Kero said.

"Even if it is an illusion, Sakura could be inside," Yue finished.

"No. She's not inside. You two know that. Calm yourselves," Eriol said, leading them in the direction the figure ran off in.

The five of them continued for a few more minutes before turning around and heading back to the castle. Five minutes later, they stood in a clearing where the castle had been. "Illusion's effect has gone. Sigma's not around," Kero said somberly.

"It's ok. He and Meiling will be fine. We'll look for the real Shadow and his real castle. I can faintly feel Sakura's aura from here. Let's go," Eriol said.

* * *

"Li! Li! Wake up!" Tomoyo whispered urgently.

"What? Tomoyo?" Li replied, his head throbbing in pain. "What happened?"

"You hit your head on the floor when the others disappeared."

"What are you talking about?"

"We were separated from the others. Something grabbed me and brought me here. Then I saw you fall in front of me. You hit your head on that rock, sticking out of the ground," Tomoyo explained worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'll be fine. Just... give me a few seconds. To rest," Li said, bringing his hand to the back of his head. "At least I'm not bleeding."

"Li, do you have any idea where we are?"

"No, but I think I feel Sakura nearby," Li said reassuringly.

"Hey! You two! Are you alone?" came a whisper from the dark.

"Who's there?" Tomoyo gasped.

"Show yourself!" Li commanded, holding a hand to his head, but standing upright.

A girl, about the age of fifteen, stepped up to Li and Tomoyo. "I'm sorry if I startled you," she said.

"It's ok," Tomoyo said. "We're just glad you're not… after us."

"Is someone after you?" the girl asked.

"No. We just got separated from our friends," Li said.

"It's not safe to travel through this Realm," the girl said.

"What about you? You're traveling alone," Li said irritably.

"I…"

"Li! We're sorry. What's your name?" Tomoyo asked, shooting Li a reprimanding look.

"My name's Elaine."

"Pleased to meat you. I'm Tomoyo, and this is Li."

"What _are _you doing out here by yourself?"

"Li!"

"I'm just… traveling. Can I… travel with you two?" Elaine asked innocently.

"No. It's too dangerous and we don't need to put anyone else in danger. You'll be safer here by yourself," Li said coldly.

"Li!" Tomoyo yelled.

"I see. I'm sorry I bothered you. I'll be on my way, then," Elaine said.

"Wait! You can come with us. But what Li said is true. It is going to be more dangerous with us. We're chasing after a friend that was taken from us a while ago, and there have been people after us. We don't know what's going on, but you're welcome to follow us."

"Maybe I can help you. Ummm… Is it ok with you, Li?"

"Fine. You can come. I hope you can look out for yourself. I can't promise a safe journey."

"That's fine. I'm sure I'll be able to help you find your friend," Elaine said, smiling at Tomoyo.

"Let's go," Li said, his head finally free of pain. "Sakura seems to be in that direction."

The three of them, Li, Tomoyo, and their new acquaintance Elaine, headed off in the direction that Li pointed. _Hang in there, Sakura. I'll save you yet._

* * *

Sigma walked over to where Meiling lay. "Wake up, Meiling."

"Huh, Sigma? Where are we?" Meiling asked drowsily.

"I got us out of there just as they attacked," Sigma said, helping Meiling to her feet.

"What…? What happened?" Meiling asked.

"Don't you remember? We were supposedly inside Shadow's castle, which was just an illusion. I realized it when Eriol said he thought something was wrong. I told you to stay near me and then some weird Dark creatures dropped in from the ceiling. I was a little outnumbered, about twenty-five to one, and so I used a teleportation spell to bring us here. When we got here, I realized that you had been hit by one of those creatures' arrows. It's just a scratch," Sigma said, pointing to Meiling's arm. "So I got out my herbs, and made you an ointment for it. You promptly fainted upon getting here."

"Thank you," Meiling said. "So, where's the real castle?"

"It's over in that direction," Sigma said, pointing to his right. "I can feel some energy coming from it, but it's a lot like the energy I felt at the fake castle. I'm not sure if it's safe."

"We have to go. I want to see Sakura," Meiling said. "Wait. I thought you said that this gem would protect me from creatures here. Why didn't it work?"

"I said it would protect you from wild creatures. If a creature is trained well enough by a master, it will be strong enough to penetrate the little protection I provided with that gem. You're lucky the arrow only nicked you. It was a Dark weapon and could have hurt pretty badly," Sigma said. "Oh, about your earlier question of Tomoyo's gem. The creature that took her was probably trained as well."

"Thanks for getting us out of there. Are we going to go to the castle now?"

"Sure. I still have my candle. Let's go," Sigma said as he lit the candle and led Meiling towards the castle.

"Sigma, what if they attack again?"

"I think I can get us – Look out!" Sigma yelled, forming an axe in his left hand and grabbing Meiling with the other.

A large, flying bat-like creature dove towards them, teeth bared and spiked tail lashing. Sigma tossed his glowing axe at the creature, striking it in its jaw. The creature gave a shrill screech and flew away.

"Are you alright?" Sigma asked, picking up his candle from the ground.

"I'm fine. We should –" Meiling was cut off by a bone-piercing screech as a large _dragharbtek_ dove at them.

"Tell whoever sent you to leave us alone!" Sigma yelled, forming two glowing axes in his hands and tossing them at the _dragharbtek_. The axes both struck at the same time, leaving the creature, however, unfazed. Sigma drew on the power in his Anti-ring and combined it with his own to create one large, two-handed axe. He swung the axe at the creature, striking it across the chest.

The _dragharbtek _gave a loud screech and continued its attack. It flew into the air and circled Sigma and Meiling. A minute later, it dove with another screech, heading straight for Meiling. Sigma wielded his axe expertly and struck the _dragharbtek_ with tremendous force, sending it spiraling backwards. The _dragharbtek_ landed on the ground, fifteen feet away from where Sigma was standing, with a soft, shrill caw of defeat.

"Let's go," Sigma said, allowing the large axe to vanish as he turned to where Meiling should have been.

"No. I will not go," Meiling said in an anomalous voice, suddenly behind Sigma.

"What are you doing?" Sigma asked.

"I've sent so many monsters at you. I can't believe you're still alive. Somehow, you were able to defeat them all. Now, I will finish you!" Meiling said with hollow eyes.

"Who are you? Release her from your hold!" Sigma commanded.

"If you defeat her, I will," Meiling, or rather the being controlling her, said as a long, dark sword appeared in one hand and an identical white one formed in the other.

"I will not fight her!" Sigma yelled. "Release her at once!"

"If you will not fight, then she is mine. But it's better for her to be dead than with me!"

"No! Leave her be!" Sigma yelled as he pulled power from his Anti-ring. He sent an exorbitant amount of Earth energy around Meiling, shielding her completely.

"You won't get rid of me that easily! I can wait longer than you can!"

"I don't intend to wait!" Sigma said, sending more Earth energy into the shield. A few minutes later, the shield emanated a brown glow.

"Sigma? What's going on?" Meiling said in her normal voice from inside.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you out of there. Just move with it," Sigma commanded, still unsure of whom the controller of Meiling's body was.

"Why not? What happened?" Meiling asked.

"You were taken control of by someone. I'm keeping you in there just to be safe."

"Let me out! You can't do this to me!" Meiling yelled. "You can't take me prisoner like this!"

"I'm not taking you prisoner. I'm just making sure that he, she, or it can't take control of your body again," Sigma said, exasperated. "Let's go. If you don't move with the shield, it will push you, so it's best if you don't resist."

"Fine!" Meiling screamed from inside the dome of rock. "How am I going to breathe?"

"I left little holes in the rock. It's enough for you to breathe."

Sigma moved the dome along with Meiling inside it, keeping up at the same pace. Suddenly, the shield shattered and Meiling stood where it was, carrying the white and black swords. "You cannot keep me shielded! She is mine!" Meiling said in the same, deep anomalous voice.

Sigma was thrown back with the shards of rock that had been part of the shield. "Leave her alone!" he gasped as he struggled to stand up.

Meiling laughed malevolently and ran from Sigma. "She's mine now! There's nothing you can do!"

Sigma got up, too exhausted to chase after her. "I will get her back!" he yelled after Meiling. "You won't get your way!"

* * *

"Elaine, what do you plan on doing after we find Sakura?" Tomoyo asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'll follow you guys. Somehow, I think we'll stay together for a while," Elaine replied, smiling.

"Alright. I'm sure Sakura wouldn't mind."

"Hey, you two, we've got company," Li said.

"What do you mean?" Elaine asked.

"I feel… a magical presence. I don't know who it is. Be ready," Li warned.

"What are we supposed to do?" Elaine said quizzically.

"Just be ready. If anything appears, don't panic. Stay with Tomoyo," Li dictated.

"Ok."

"Li!" Tomoyo screamed in a deep, out of character voice.

"Tomoyo? What's going on?" Li asked, slowly backing away.

Tomoyo grabbed Elaine and held a glowing, silver sword to her throat. "Come with me!" she commanded of Li.

"Tomoyo, what's wrong with you? Where did you get that sword?"

"Help! Li, get her off me!" Elaine yelled.

"Shut up, girl! This does not concern you!" Tomoyo shouted deeply.

"This doesn't concern me? Are you crazy?" Elaine shouted. "You have a… oh," Elaine said, finishing very quietly.

"I don't know what you've done to Tomoyo, but let go of Elaine!" Li shouted.

"You either come with me, sparing both you and your friends, or you can run. Your final choice is to fight."

"I will not fight Tomoyo!" Li shouted, infuriated. "Leave them both alone!"

Tomoyo laughed horridly. "Then your only choices are running or following. You're trapped, Li! I have you now, you and your friends!" Tomoyo cried, giving another dark laugh.

Li sheathed his sword and walked up to Tomoyo. "Fine, I'll come with you. Release Elaine," Li commanded.

Tomoyo chuckled at Li. "No, I will not. One wrong move and I'll finish her off!"

Li walked over to Elaine, mouthing an "I'm sorry," and turned to face Tomoyo. "You win. There's nothing I can do. I'll follow you where you want," Li said, disheartened.

"_Extalidor!_" Tomoyo yelled to the sky. A large, black pegasus appeared in the sky, and landed a few feet in front of Li. "Get on!" Tomoyo ordered, dragging Elaine and herself onto the creature as well.

The pegasus took off, spiraling through the dark. "It won't be long now, Li. I assure you, you will see Sakura again!" Tomoyo cackled wickedly.

* * *

Eriol stopped in his tracks. "Yue, Kero, did you feel that?"

"Yes. It's coming from over there," Yue said as he pointed to his left.

"We should investigate. Let's go, Eriol," Ruby recommended.

"No. We have to continue on this course. I can feel Sakura's aura. She's close," Eriol said, continuing in the same direction.

"You have a plan for rescuing her, right?" Spinel asked.

"Yes. There's something about this Shadow person that reminds me of someone. I'd like to meet him, but we're going to save Sakura first," Eriol informed.

"Sounds like a good idea," Keroberos said. "How are you planning on rescuing her?"

Eriol stared ahead, ignoring Keroberos' question.

The five of them walked in near silence for the next hour until the reached a large castle. The castle seemed to float in the air, its bottom shrouded in a deep blackness that reflected that of the sky. Pieces of stone in the castle hung loose from the castle, giving the impression that it should already be in ruins.

"She's in there," Yue said, pointing to the upper part of the seemingly decrepit building.

"Patience, Yue. We'll get to her soon," Eriol said, releasing his staff. "Keroberos, I need you to change forms. You too, Spinel. Find Sakura and give this to her. Tell her that I'll come back with Li and everyone else," Eriol directed, handing Supi and Kero a small token.

"We will," Kero said, flying up to find a window, followed by Supi. Kero entered a widow, or rather, a large hole in the side of the wall, and floated silently through the dark room, able to see less than a foot in front of him. He closed his eyes, feeling for Sakura's aura. "She's this way," he whispered to Supi.

"Wait!" Supi whispered back. "I feel something."

"That something wouldn't be me, would it?" a boy said from behind them, lighting a candle.

Kero gave a loud, vicious scream and changed back to Keroberos. "Who are you?" he commanded.

"I'll deliver your 'package' to Sakura. You may leave," the boy said, holding out his hand.

"Not until I see Sakura! What have you done with her?"

"She's safe with me. I'll deliver that for you."

"Your name is Shadow, right?" Supi asked, examining the boy.

"Yes, it is. And your name is Supi. Your 'true form' is called Spinel Sun. You are Keroberos. Your other form is Kero, and you're both traveling with Eriol Hiiragizawa. Now that the formalities are finished, would you like for me to deliver that?" Shadow asked.

"I'll deliver it myself!" Keroberos said. "Let me see her!"

"Fine. Go see her. She's sleeping," Shadow said, blowing out his candle and leaving.

Keroberos changed back to his false form, carrying the small round disc in his hands. "Let's go," he said to Supi.

"Don't you think that was a little too easy?" Supi asked.

"Yes," Kero replied, floating away from where Shadow had disappeared. Supi, unsure of what else to do, followed Kero into the dark. Kero floated to a door and opened it to find Sakura lying on the bed inside. "Sakura!" Kero yelled as he saw her.

Sakura turned over on her bed and mumbled indistinctly.

"Sakura, wake up!" Kero screamed, shaking Sakura.

"What?" Sakura said, slowly waking up. "What are you doing here?"

"Eriol's outside. He said to give this to you. Sakura, are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Where's everyone else?" Sakura asked, now half-awake.

"Eriol's outside, waiting for us. He says we'll come back when he's found Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling again. We should get going," Supi said.

"Hold on, let me at least change into something for walking."

"Sakura, you're not coming. Eriol said we'd come back for you," Supi explained.

"What? Why would Eriol do that? Wait, how did you get in here without Shadow noticing?"

"We didn't, and it looks like you're finally awake. Shadow spotted us and said he'd deliver this to you. He knew all of our names and then let us come to you. Eriol… he wants to be safe. The original plan was for Supi and me to come in here, unnoticed, give this to you, and fly back out," Kero said. "What's been happening? You're in a bigger room than yours back home. You don't look hurt at all."

"I don't know what's going on. Shadow's always… half-nice. He gets mad at me, but he'll never hurt me too much. I heard that some guy named Sigma had captured Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling, and I decided to go after all of you. But when I tried to, Shadow stopped me and got pretty mad. Then a… _dragharbtek?_ attacked me and he saved me from it. Did you guys escape from Sigma?"

"Sigma's with us. He's coming to help rescue you. We started out in a large group, Yue, me, Supi here, Ruby, Eriol's moon guardian, Tomoyo, Li, Meiling, Eriol, and Sigma, but then we got split up. The only people with Eriol are Yue, Ruby, Supi and me. I'd stay with you, but…" Kero said, letting his sentence trail off.

"Thanks, Kero. I'll come with you if Shadow lets me. I –"

"I won't let you," Shadow said from the doorway. "Don't try to escape again. Besides, you heard them, they'll come back for you. Maybe then, with all of your _friends_ they'll be able to overpower me and pry you free of my grasp."

"I'll overpower you right now!" Keroberos said.

"Kero! No!" Sakura cried, grabbing him by the neck. "You can't beat him. Please, just leave. I don't want to see you hurt," Sakura said, tearing as she held on to her guardian's mane.

"Don't cry, Sakura. We'll all come back for you," Keroberos said, shooting Shadow a condemnatory look. "We'll come back."

"I'm sure you will. Now, leave my castle. I've dealt with you long enough," Shadow said, turning his back to them.

"Bye…" Sakura said as Kero, back to his false form, and Supi flew out her window.

"Sorry, Sakura. I can't let you leave. You'll understand someday," Shadow said just out of earshot.

* * *

Questions? Comments? I hope this chapter isn't too depressing. You probably could have guessed from the name that something like this would happen. Bet you didn't expect for Shadow to just let Kero see Sakura. Well, it didn't take too long, did it? Anyways, you know what's coming next…

Meiling, Tomoyo, and Li are all captured by… someone. Who is this new person? Could it be Shadow? What about their friend Elaine? She claimed to be able to help Li and Tomoyo, but so far…

Eriol's relatively safe. He has all four guardians with him! What are they others going to do? Sigma's all alone now. What might happen to him?

Shadow says, just quietly enough so Sakura can't hear, (see above, last paragraph of fic). What does he mean exactly? She'll understand what?

Well, that's my ten-cents-worth. Here's the "challenge" again. Please do guess. It's more fun for me, the author/writer that way. Impress me with your wonderful deductive abilities!

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	11. Captured and Powerless

Author's Note (A/N): Well, here we go again. This isn't a particularly happy chapter. I hope you don't kill me for it.

Previously:

Li and everyone else travel to find Sakura. They've made it to the Dark Realm, but got promptly split up. Sigma is by himself, Eriol is with all four guardians, and Tomoyo, Li, and Meiling have been captured by some unknown person. I wish them good luck, and hope that they make it back safely.

**Chapter 11: Captured and Powerless**

Sakura stared out her window after the two retreating shapes. _Kero…_

"They'll be back for you," Shadow said, suddenly behind her.

"Why did you have to do that? Why couldn't you have let me go?" Sakura asked vehemently.

Shadow stared at Sakura, as if threatening her. "I did what I had to," Shadow replied, turning to leave.

"What you had to? You didn't have to do that! You could've been nicer!" Sakura shouted, grabbing Shadow's arm. "Let me go!"

"No. Get dressed. I'll see you in thirty minutes," Shadow said, pulling himself free of Sakura's grasp.

"Let me go! I'm not going through what you have set up for me this time! Let me go!" Sakura screamed, furious at Shadow.

"Thirty minutes. If you're not there…" Shadow said, disappearing into the dark.

_What am I going to do? Why does this have to happen to me?_ Sakura quickly put on some comfortable clothes and glanced at the clock. _Thirty minutes. Should I go?_ Sakura thought to herself. "I'll be fine," she whispered to herself. "Everyone's counting on me." _Sakura, what'll happen when you're not in your regular cheerful mood the next time something weird happens?_ she remembered Kero saying. _He's right. Whatever happens, I'll be ok. They'll come back for me._

Sakura walked into the bathroom to wash her face. After she had finished, she glanced at the clock again. _Five minutes left. I'll look for Shadow in the dining room._ Sakura shut the door behind her as she walked out and found her way to the dining room.

"You're early," Shadow said as he saw her approach. "Let's go."

Sakura followed silently, still a little angry at Shadow.

"What do you want me to do, apologize?" Shadow asked.

"That'd be too nice of you," Sakura replied coolly.

"Well, I know for a fact it won't mean anything to you if I say 'I'm sorry,' so I'm not going to say it. We're almost there," Shadow said, leading Sakura through a series of winding hallways.

"Where are we going?" Sakura said, not expecting an answer.

"You have one last lesson. I hope you've learned well enough how to use that ring in your pocket," Shadow said.

"What do you mean 'last?'"

"I mean last. You should be happy, you're going to be going away from me for a while," Shadow said.

"Where are you sending me?"

"Where I have to. I don't have any choice in this. Well, I do, but if I chose to keep you, you'd hate it too much," Shadow said.

"What do you mean? This isn't about me… yelling at you, is it?" Sakura asked, befuddled.

"Nope, nothing to do with that. I'll tell you before you leave. I promise," Shadow said. "Here's your last 'test.' I'm going to create two _sphienents_ and a _dragharbtek_ against you, both wielding very powerful weapons. You have to defeat them. If you can, then you're ready. If not, I hope you will be able to very soon," Shadow said.

"What are you talking about? Where am I going?" Sakura asked.

"I'll tell you after the test. Ready?"

"Yes," Sakura said, bracing herself.

"Good luck," Shadow said, a long staff with a dark bird adorning the top appearing in his hands. "Create!" he shouted.

Two _sphienents_ and a _dragharbtek_ appeared between him and Sakura. One _sphienent_ carried a long, black sword, requiring two tentacles to hold. The other, carried a long, white sword, identical in every way but color. The _dragharbtek_ took flight, wearing dark, black armor.

Sakura released her staff and brought Shot, Arrow, and Sword from her Cards. Concentrating on the ring, she yelled, "Shot! Arrow! Sword!" The three cards immediately took effect.

Arrow came out of its card in a burst of light, shooting vibrant arrows at the _dragharbtek_. Shot appeared and began to pummel the _sphienent_ carrying the white blade with energy bolts. Sakura's staff transformed into a long sword. She grabbed the floating ring in front of her and charged the remaining _sphienent_. She slashed downwards near the _sphienent_, creating a long line of explosive energy, cutting it in two.

Arrow, Shot and Sword returned to their cards. Sakura, straining to stand up, looked over at Shadow. "Did I pass?" she asked between breaths.

"You did fine. Good luck against the real things. If you ever have to fight them, they'll be a bunch stronger. There's only so far I can go with Create. I'll give you the pleasure of another meal with me, the last you'll have before you leave," Shadow said, walking over to Sakura to help her up.

"Thanks," Sakura said, still panting for breath. "Are you… going to… tell me now?"

"I'll tell you while you're eating. Right now, you need to replenish some energy. We have… two hours left together," Shadow said, looking at his watch.

"Fine. Let's… go," Sakura gasped, using Shadow as support to get back to the dining room.

"At least you haven't passed out. What do you want to eat?"

"Shrimp and… rice sounds good," Sakura said, slowly recovering from the battle.

"Alright. Promise me you won't pass out before I come back with food," Shadow said, smiling at Sakura.

"I promise," Sakura said, feebly returning the smile. Shadow walked into the kitchen, leaving Sakura at the table. _I wonder where I'm going,_ she thought as Shadow came back with a large bowl of fried rice.

"It has shrimp in it, along with carrots, peas, and onions. I hope you like it," Shadow said sitting down opposite Sakura.

"Thank you," Sakura said, her breathing rate finally returning to normal. "So, where am I going?"

"Aren't you going to try it first? I said I'd tell you as you ate. We still have an hour and fifty or so minutes left. Relax," Shadow said.

Sakura took a bite of the food. "Thanks, Shadow. This is really good," she said, continuing to eat. "Aren't you going to tell me?" Sakura said a few minutes later.

"In a little bit. I will, don't worry," Shadow said.

"Ok," Sakura said, continuing to eat the delicious meal.

"I guess I'll tell you now," Shadow said when Sakura had finished half of the rice some fifteen minutes later. "Remember that _dragharbtek_ that was after you? Well, you're going to… meet Altarrin."

Sakura nearly choked on her food. "What? You're just going to hand me over to him? Don't I get a say in this?"

"You can have your say if you want. Here," Shadow said, tossing Sakura an envelope.

"**_From: Altarrin  
To: Sakura Kinomoto."_**

"What does he want with me?" Sakura asked.

"Read what's inside before you decide if you'll willingly go to him," Shadow said in what passed as a hurried voice.

"_**Sakura Kinomoto,**_

**_I hereby request that you come to me at once. You and your friend Shadow, have put up quite a fight for the past week. You are to find me near the Desecrated Lake at 3:00 PM. If you are not there at the aforementioned time, your friend Meiling Li will be tortured near to death. The next deadline is 3:15 PM. If you are not there by then, your friend Tomoyo Daidouji shall partake in the aforementioned form of punishment as well. The third deadline is 3:30 PM. If not there by then, I shall cease punishment on Tomoyo Daidouji and Meiling Li, and turn my attention to one, Li Syaoran. At this time, he will either, one, cease to live, or two, choose his life over that of your two aforementioned friends. Every half-hour after that, one more shall depart from the world of the living._**

**_Best regards,  
Altarrin, the Summoner of Spirits"_**

"What? He has all three of them? Eriol said… Eriol said they'd gone missing, but… I have to go help them!" Sakura shouted eagerly.

"I know. I knew you would do something of the sort. However, I did manage to… forge an agreement with Altarrin. He promised to keep you within this Realm. I don't know if he's a man of his word, but, for your sake, I hope he is. Also, the disc that Eriol gave you, it's a tracking device of sorts. He can see it and about a one yard radius around it with one of his spells. I've hopefully prepared you well enough to take on this… challenge. Sakura, I'm sure you'll make it. I'm sure of it," Shadow said encouragingly.

"Shadow, how am I supposed to fight this guy? He has all three of my closest friends! What am I supposed to do?" Sakura said, dispirited.

"You'll figure out some way. You always do. Almost. I'm sure you'll be ok," Shadow said, walking over to Sakura and hugging her. "You'll make it."

"Shadow, I don't think I can fight him. He has… He has Tomoyo, Meiling, and Li. I can't put them in danger. Why don't you save them? Can't you do anything about it?" Sakura pleaded.

Shadow took Sakura's hand and led her back to her room. "Pack some things. I'm not sure if he'll let you keep them, but pack some of your stuff. I have a luggage bag you can put what you want in. Sakura?"

Sakura sat on her bed, crying to herself. _He has all of them. How am I ever going to save them? If he's strong enough to stand against Shadow, how's anyone supposed to beat him?_

"Sakura, don't cry. Don't worry, I promise you'll make it through. Come on, let's make the best of this last hour," Shadow said. "We should pack some of your stuff." Shadow walked over to Sakura and led her over to the dresser. "Sakura, I know you're heartbroken, but you have to stay strong. You know it's what your friends would tell you. Besides, would they want to see you like this? You are about to be reunited with them. Come on, Sakura. Let's pack up," Shadow said, brushing away Sakura's tears.

"Ok," she said, searching through the dresser for clothes to bring.

"I'll go grab that bag for you. Cheer up," Shadow said as he left.

Sakura picked out clothes which looked startlingly like her clothes back home and neatly stacked them in a pile at the foot of her bed. _I hope Shadow is right. Either way, I do have to stay strong. I'll save them. Somehow, I will!_

"I'm back. You look happier," Shadow said, seeing Sakura lying on the bed with a small smile.

"I decided you were right. My friends won't want to see me sad. I have to be strong. Thank you, Shadow," Sakura said, smiling.

"Well, let's finish packing. Then, maybe we can do something with whatever time's remaining." With that, Shadow and Sakura started packing. They spent nearly half and hour packing. As their time together drew to an end, Sakura felt worse and worse. "Ok, we're done. Sakura, you don't have to worry. You'll be fine. Eriol will come rescue you after a while. I'll go with him. Together, we'll save you," Shadow said, putting his hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Don't worry."

"I want to believe you, I really do, but…" Sakura stopped, unsure of what else to say. _But he has my friends…_

"Well, would you like to go now? It's not exactly a long walk, but we should plan for contingencies."

"Ok, let's go. Better to get this over with than sit here doing nothing. What does he want with me?"

"I don't know," Shadow replied.

"What did you want with me?"

"I… I'm still not going to tell you. Maybe after this, when you get free of Altarrin, I'll tell you."

Sakura smiled, appreciating Shadow's confidence in her. "Do you _really_ think I'll make it?"

"Yes, I know you will."

"Thanks. Are you going to walk me there, or draw me a map?"

"Remember what I told you about this Realm? If even my castle rearranges itself from time to time, and you can't get around that, how do you plan on making it to the lake?"

Shadow took a quick look at the clock and led Sakura out of the room. "Would you like some light on our walk?" Shadow asked.

"I don't think a lantern will help us much," Sakura said.

"That's not what I meant," Shadow said, pulling out one of his Cards.

"What are you going to do?"

"Light!" Shadow yelled, the eagle-like bird on his staff pointing to the Card. Light came out of its Card and created a path of light off into the distance.

"I thought you said…" Sakura stuttered, looking at the path in mild confusion.

"I did, but I rule this Realm," Shadow replied. "Ready?"

"Mm hmm. Does this lead all the way to the lake?" Sakura asked, looking down the path.

"Yes. It should let him know we're coming. We have twenty minutes to get there. Let's go," Shadow said.

Sakura followed Shadow down the path of light. _I hope Shadow's right,_ she thought. Fifteen minutes later, the lake, with its vile waters, came into view.

"You came. I thought you would, Sakura. You've given me much trouble, but I suppose that's his fault," a platinum-haired boy said, pointing to Shadow.

"Well, I'll be leaving you now, Sakura. Here's your luggage," Shadow said, putting it on the ground beside her. "Good luck."

"Yes, good luck. You will need it if you plan on surviving for long. Tell me, Sakura, what would it take to get you to jump into these waters?" the boy said, smiling mischievously as he motioned to the dark, slimy lake behind him.

"I… don't want to," Sakura said, staring at the water as the lighted path she arrived on disappeared.

"Really? Well, Sakura, I command you to jump into the water and have a drink. You will, of course, do so, right?"

"I… I… I… I'm not thirsty," Sakura said, backing away from the water. "You… You're not going to…make me… are you?"

"That's a fine idea. Let's get one of them out. Who should it be? Tomoyo, maybe?"

"No! Don't hurt them!" Sakura screamed. "I'll… do as you say."

"Good! You don't have to jump in. I won't be that cruel. Yet… Anyhow, you haven't asked my name yet," the boy said.

"Aren't you Altarrin?" Sakura asked, slightly relieved.

"No, actually I'm not. I'm Lloyd, his loyal servant and advisor," the boy said, laughing. "I could have had you jump in." The boy laughed harder until a dark shape appeared behind him.

"Lloyd, leave us," the shape said.

"Yes, sir," Lloyd said, bowing and leaving, his playful manner suddenly lost to the seriousness that now enveloped him.

"Sakura, it's taken me a while to get you here. Why the resistance? Tell me, Sakura, what has Shadow told you about me?" the man said.

"H-He s-said your n-name w-was Altar-tarrin. Th-that's a-all I know," Sakura stuttered, staring at the darkly shrouded man, unable to see the outline of his body..

"He said my name was Altartarrin, did he?" the man asked, shifting like a shadow in the air, never staying in any spot for long.

"No, uh… s-sir. H-he said y-your name was… was Altarrin."

"At least he got my name right. Do you know how much trouble it was to get you here?" Altarrin asked from the dark, his face still hidden behind a dark, black hood.

Sakura backed away from Altarrin, unsure of what to say. She stared fearfully into Altarrin's hood, wondering if he was even human.

"Well?" Altarrin asked, making a motion with his black gloved hand.

Sakura felt a tremendous amount of energy suddenly materialize as he gestured to the space behind her. Suddenly, there was a wall behind her, sending a small electric current through her small body. Sakura jumped forward a few inches, bringing her closer to the advancing, cloth-clad figure.

"Scared? I hold your life in my hands. But perhaps, that's not enough to instill fear within your heart. How's this?" Altarrin said, his hand protruding from the dark cloak and motioning to some cages to Sakura's right.

"No! Let them go!" Sakura somehow found the strength to yell.

"Let's make an agreement. I shall promise to keep your friends safe so long as you do everything that I say. Agreed?" Altarrin asked, obviously not expecting an answer. "Now then, I think I like Lloyd's idea. Jump into the lake," he commanded.

Sakura stared at her three friends lying unconscious in the nearby cages. _What am I going to do? It's just water. I can survive that, but what will happen when he tells me to do something I can't survive? What could he possibly want with me?_

"Have you decided? It's a simple choice, really. Your friends' wellness or yours. Let's flip a coin. Heads, I win. Tails, you lose," Altarrin said mockingly. "Five."

Sakura stepped towards the lake, avoiding Altarrin as she did so. As she reached the edge of the lake, Altarrin walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder, sending a chill through her body. A moment later, he walked off towards Sakura's luggage, leaving Sakura shivering on the edge of the lake. _It's just water. Better me than them,_ she thought, forcing thoughts of Altarrin's ghastly touch from her mind.

"You may preserve your clothes if you like. Once you've submerged yourself completely, you may find me at my castle. I will take your luggage with me and leave a trail for you to follow. I trust you won't escape," Altarrin said, dropping a glowing crystal. "Follow these. Pick them up as you go. For each one you miss…" Altarrin walked away, three cubic shapes floating in the air above him.

_I won't let him hurt them. I can do this,_ Sakura thought. Deciding it was better to walk through the Realm with dirty clothes rather than without any, she took out just her Cards and the ring Shadow had given her and jumped into the rancid water, quickly dunked her head under, and crawled back out. _Eww…_ Grabbing her Cards and ring, she found the first bright crystal and picked it up, looking for the next one.

One by one, she picked up the bright crystals and found her way to a large, mansion-like structure. "So, you made it," Lloyd said from the door. "Looks like he liked my idea. I could smell you from a mile away! Consider that your first test of obedience. Altarrin's put your baggage up in your room," Lloyd said, staring at Sakura. "You look very defeated. I almost feel sorry for you."

Sakura walked up to Lloyd and waited for him to lead her inside, ignoring his comments and keeping her hopes up. When he didn't, she asked, "Aren't you going to take me to my room?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet? Those crystals, that's your ticket to your room. Let's see if you have all of them," Lloyd said, motioning for Sakura to put them on the floor.

Sakura laid out fourteen crystals, hoping she didn't miss any and shivering when a small breeze brushed against her soaked clothes.

"Good, you have all fourteen. Well, come on in. I'll show you to your room. You can change if you'd like," Lloyd said, walking into the building. "Be careful not to drip all over the floor."

Sakura followed him inside. They walked down some stairs into a dark, underground room. "Here's your room. It's actually more of a dungeon, but it'll do for you. There's a… bathroom over there, though I don't think you'll want to use it."

"Wh-why not?"

"It hasn't been used or cleaned for at least ten years. There are mice and cockroaches and other… creatures in there. You can clean it if you'd like."

Sakura stared down the hallway to where Lloyd pointed. She decided she would have to put up with the creatures. _Maybe if I clean it…_

"Well, I'll let you get settled. If you're good, maybe Altarrin will give you a better room later," Lloyd said, leaving Sakura in the dark.

Sakura found her way over to her baggage. She searched through it for something different to wear when she found a small lantern with a note attached to it.

"**_Sakura, if you're reading this, you can rest knowing that Altarrin doesn't care enough about your stuff to search it. I hope that you are doing fine where you are. Do NOT under any circumstances lose possession of that ring I gave you or the disc that Eriol gave you. It will allow him to find you whenever he wants to. I'll see you soon. You can keep this note if you'd like. The script is written with Dark magic and can only be read by whom I designate. However, I don't know the extent of Altarrin's powers, so I would destroy this._**

**_Hope to see you soon. Sincerely,  
Shadow"_**

_Thanks, Shadow._ She found that the lamp was filled with kerosene and found a box of matches near it. She quickly lit the lamp, burned the note, grabbed a pair of clean clothes, and walked down to the bathroom. _At least my hands are dry already…_

As Sakura approached the bathroom, strange noises became audible. She inched down the hall, her sphere of light inching along with her. She put her hand up to the bathroom door, determined to fearlessly enter the bathroom. Suddenly, she felt something scuttle across her feet and leapt into the air in surprise, suppressing a scream. Looking around, the mystery creature was nowhere to be found. Just as she put her hand up to the doorknob, the door creaked open to let her in.

Slowly, she entered the small bathroom, identified the various objects within, and searched for any creatures on the floor. Seeing none, Sakura removed her shoes and socks to begin cleaning. She stepped onto the slimy, vile ground, wondering if it had been cleaned any time in the past century. Suddenly, out of the dark, she heard a loud hiss and backed up against the mold and mildew covered wall.

Two small, golden eyes appeared in the dark, startling Sakura. She pressed herself against the wall, too afraid to care about the rotten surface she was leaning against. The eyes advanced, heading straight towards Sakura. _No!_ she thought, unable to speak or move, hoping she had not been seen.

Slowly, taking what seemed like centuries, the creature to which the eyes belonged stepped into the dim light. A wave of relief washed over Sakura as she saw the creature for what it was. _It's just a mouse._

Sakura found her way back to her shoes and put them on top of the rusty sink. She stepped into the center of the room and released her staff. Halfway through the incantation, she heard a loud thump and sped up. She held the staff tentatively, unsure of what may have caused the noise. Slowly, she turned around, scanning every inch of the dark room. When she was certain there was nothing there, she grabbed Fiery from her Cards and whispered, "Fiery!"

Fiery emerged from its Card and brightened the room. Creatures of all shapes and sizes scuttled away from the light, hissing at Sakura and Fiery as they hurried past her. She stared at the green-streaked, mildew-covered walls in disgust and turned her gaze downward to look at the ground on which she was standing. All along the ground, she saw different sized droppings and a filmy layer of muddy water.

She instructed Fiery to continue to light the room with a wave of her hand and grabbed Bubbles. "Bubbles!" she whispered. The Bubbles Card effectively covered the room in a layer of soapy bubbles, removing some filth from the walls and floor.

"Float!" she whispered, when the filthy water reminded her of the lake. She hovered above the growing layer of bubbles, slowly removing the filth from the ground and walls. "Rain!" Rain appeared as a large cloud and a downpour came after it. The rain swept away the bubbles, leaving behind it a relatively clean floor and walls.

Their job done, the Cards returned to their original form and floated into Sakura's hand. Feeling proud of herself, Sakura turned disappointedly to her dripping wet shoes. _I forgot to shield them first!_ she thought. She stared disdainfully at her shoes and decided she would dry them later. She took out another of her Cards and whispered, "Glow!"

Glow took effect and created an eerie green light, just enough for Sakura to see by. She quickly removed her clothing and walked into the shower to bathe, eager to rid herself of the lake's filth. She turned on the faucet and shrieked quietly when freezing cold water collided with her skin. She quickly turned the faucet back off, hoping there was hot water somewhere. Hurriedly, she grabbed a towel she had brought with her and wrapped herself in its diminutive warmth.

Reluctantly, she decided to take a bath rather than a shower. She plugged the bathtub and allowed the cold water to fill it three-quarters of the way. "Fiery!" she said again, instructing Fiery to heat the water slightly before promptly stepping in. Not trusting the cleanliness of the bathtub, she decided to finish bathing quickly rather than enjoying the hot water.

Three minutes later, Sakura finished her bath, having scrubbed herself thoroughly, but still feeling a touch of filthiness, and dressed quickly. She grabbed her still-wet shoes and walked, barefoot, back to her small room.

Sakura entered her room and tossed her dirty clothes on the floor. She scanned the room and found it to be less than half the size of the room Shadow had given her. There was a small, wooden bed in the corner, lacking a mattress, and a tiny, rotting wardrobe next to it. The floor and walls were composed of concrete and cracked in various locations.

Sakura walked over to her bed and found a layer of dust on top of it along with everything else in the room. _This is disgusting! He gives me the worst room in the place and doesn't even give me a bathroom with decent water!_ Sakura wiped away some dust with her hands, creating for herself a small space suitable for sitting before sorting through some of her belongings. _Well, I suppose I shouldn't complain. He hasn't killed me yet._

Sakura quickly organized the contents of her small luggage bag, making sure she could find what she wanted. She walked over to her dirty clothes and hunt them on a small clothesline near the door, making a mental note to clean them thoroughly before ever wearing them again. For the time being, she ignored the shoes she had accidentally soaked, deciding that she would have to live without shoes for a while.

Suddenly, a light appeared from the stairs coming down to the basement. "Sakura, Altarrin will see you now. Are you ready?" Lloyd asked, appearing at the foot of the stairs.

Sakura merely nodded and walked over to Lloyd, waiting for him to lead the way. "You used that bathroom? Well, I suppose someone was going to have to clean it eventually. Let's go."

Lloyd led Sakura up the stairs. He turned down a long corridor which ended with another staircase. Lloyd motioned for Sakura to continue up the staircase by herself. Sakura walked hesitantly up the staircase. At the top, she found a large, semi-lit room. "Don't move," called Altarrin's commanding voice from the far side of the room. "Close your eyes."

Sakura reluctantly did so. She listened as she heard Altarrin's soft, almost inaudible footsteps approach. The footsteps stopped inches from her and she felt a large pulse of magical energy. "Wh –"

"Don't talk, either," Altarrin said. Sakura felt the energy enveloping her. "Good," Altarrin said as all the energy disappeared. Altarrin walked away. "You may open your eyes now. Now, Sakura, tell me why you chose to come here."

Sakura opened her eyes and peered into the dark room. "Y-you have m-my friends. I didn't want them t-to get hurt."

"Were you happy with Shadow? Did he treat you well?"

"I don't know," Sakura replied honestly.

"Why did you put up such a fight? Do you understand what little patience I have?"

"I-I'm sorry."

"So am I, because 'sorry' just won't do," Altarrin said as a glow surrounded what Sakura knew to be the whip she had seen in her dream. "I'll give you a choice. Turn around."

Sakura turned to see three separate cages, each containing one of her captured friends. "No," she whispered.

"Here's your choice. You may choose one of them to take your punishment, or you can submit yourself to it."

"Wh-what's my punishment?"

"It was ten lashings. Now it's twenty, for asking. Choose," Altarrin commanded.

All the candles in the room blew out, leaving Sakura in darkness, complete except for the glowing whip. Knowing what would happen next, Sakura fell to her knees and began to cry, dreading the feel of the whip upon her flesh.

"You're only making this harder on yourself. For every minute you don't choose, I'll add ten lashings. When the count goes up to forty, all four of you will receive them. The minute starts now."

"I… I will. Please, let them go," Sakura pleaded. "Please…"

"So, you chose. Now, I'll give you another choice. Either I can give them to you, or my loyal _sphienent_ can. If you don't choose, I will."

Sakura brought her hands to her face and cried. _This isn't fair. _"Please, let them go. I'll stay in their place," Sakura pleaded, looking up from her hands at the advancing figure holding the whip.

"I guess you won't choose. You could have saved yourself some pain…" Altarrin said, raising the whip above his head.

"Aaaaaahhh!" Sakura screamed, bringing her hands over her face.

The whip came down on Sakura's arms with a crack, causing her to scream. Tears came to her eyes as she examined the marks on her arms. Suddenly, an unseen force pushed her onto her stomach, pinning her to the ground. "I wouldn't squirm if I were you. It'll make things worse," Altarrin said, bringing the whip up again.

"Please, stop," Sakura pleaded, crying harder than ever.

The whip came down on Sakura's back with another crack, cutting through the back of her shirt. Altarrin repeated the process eighteen times. When he finished, he grabbed Sakura's arm and flung her towards the stairs. "That's twenty _normal_ lashings. From now on, you will do as I say, understand? Every time you do not, you will receive twenty more lashings as will one of your friends. Are we clear?"

"Y-yes," Sakura said, barely able to stand.

Lloyd came up the stairs, grabbed Sakura by the wrist and led her back down to her room. "Well, that's what you get for crossing Altarrin. You better not do it again," he said, leaving her in her room.

Sakura immediately fell onto her wooden bed, her head throbbing painfully. _Ow…_ she thought, tears streaming down her face. Slowly, she cried herself into a disturbed sleep, the bruises on her back waking her painfully every few hours.

* * *

Here's your list of questions to ponder:

Shadow says he 'knows' Sakura will make it back safely. What could he be planning? Does he really know? Or is he just showing confidence in Sakura's abilities?

Eriol now has a way of finding Sakura whenever he chooses to. However, he said he wasn't going to until he found Li and the others…

Well… Email me questions. I'll be happy to receive them. Here's the random challenge again…

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	12. Into Flame and Air

Author's Note (A/N): This chapter came along quickly. Not too much action exists here. Mainly a boring chapter. Enjoy.

Previously:

Sakura was taken by Altarrin along with Tomoyo, Meiling, and Li. Because Altarrin has her friends, Sakura can't do anything against Altarrin. This led to… Well, you read it, right? Shadow said Sakura would be alright and Eriol promised, along with Yue and Kero, that he'd come back for her.

**Chapter 12: Into Flame and Air**

_I have to save them. I _will_ save them!_ Sigma though, running towards a large powerful force in the Realm. _What would anyone with that much power want with a bunch of kids?_ Sigma continued to run towards the energy source when five dark figures appeared in front of him. Immediately, he formed an axe and prepared for the worst.

"Eriol, look! It's Sigma!" Kero said.

"So it is. Hello, Sigma. Where's Meiling? Wasn't she with you?" Eriol asked, noting Meiling's absence.

"She fell under the control of someone. Then she ran off, beating even my strongest magic. Have you seen any of the others?"

"Well, we found Shadow's castle. From what I can gather, he's allowing people to visit Sakura. I sent her a small tracking disc which allows me visual access wherever it goes. I had Keroberos and Spinel deliver it to Sakura for me. They were caught, but Shadow let them pass."

"Where is that brat? I'm going to teach him a thing or two. Why would he send creatures after the ruler of another Realm?"

"I don't know, but I'll come with you," Eriol said.

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go save Sakura. I need to talk to this Shadow kid," Sigma said, leading the way.

They walked for fifteen minutes before arriving at a large castle. Sigma and Eriol approached the castle and knocked on the large, ornate wooden door. A hollow thump sounded through the castle followed by approaching footsteps, echoing in the darkness. "This one's real," Eriol said. A black-haired boy came to the door.

"Sigma, it took you a while to get here, didn't it?" the boy said mockingly.

"You're Shadow, right? Tell me what's been going on. What have you done with Sakura?"

"You come up to my front door, armed, and you expect me to just answer your questions?" Shadow asked.

"Oh, look, you have Eriol with you. Decided to show your face, Hiiragizawa? I thought for sure you'd continue to hide behind the four of them."

Eriol didn't show any sign of frustration. Instead, he simply said, "Pleased to meet you, Shadow. So, where's Sakura?"

"You gave her a tracking device. Don't you know?" Shadow asked.

"I assume she's in her room, through what was that window," Eriol said, pointing to a second-story window.

"She's not there, Eriol," Kero whispered in his ear. "I can't feel her anymore. She's gone."

"What have you done with her?" Yue asked threateningly.

"She left on her own accord," Shadow responded.

"Liar! Sakura wouldn't leave after we promised to return for her!" Kero yelled, changing to his true form.

"Answer our questions truthfully, you rat!" Yue yelled, forming his bow.

"Patience. Come in. There's no point in fighting me on my own ground. You'd only lose. Come in, and I'll tell you the entire story." Shadow turned his back on them and walked inside, apparently at ease even with Yue's bow drawn at his back.

Sigma turned to look at the five figures behind him, beckoning them to come inside. "We don't have a choice but to trust him right now. Eriol, be ready."

The five of them walked into the castle with Shadow. "Would you like something to eat? I have cake and other sweets if you'd like, Kero."

"I won't accept anything from you! Not until you give back Sakura!" Keroberos yelled, ready to destroy Shadow whenever he had the chance.

"Fine. Anyone want something? Tea, maybe?"

All five of them chose not to eat or drink anything, fearing that perhaps the food or drink was poisoned. They walked to a large table with a teapot in the center. "Please, sit down."

Sigma found a seat and sat, pulling Earth energy close to him in case Shadow tried anything. "Tell us, Shadow, now that we're all seated. Start with why you made that fake castle, and how."

"I made the fake castle to keep you away from the real one. As for how," Shadow said, taking out his Create Card and showing the group.

"Clow Cards? That's impossible! There was only one deck of Clow Cards ever made, and Sakura has the only one! How did you come by them? And why do yours look so odd?" Keroberos asked.

"That's not important. Any other questions? I really have to get back to my planning. I would invite you to come with me, but you wouldn't want to. After all, you don't care about saving Sakura," Shadow said.

"Who are you to say that? We are her guardians. We have been commissioned to protect her! You have no idea what you're talking about!" Yue yelled, growing angry.

"I know who you are. Look, I don't have Sakura with me right now. If you want to know why, read this," Shadow said, thrusting an envelope at them.

Sigma took the letter and read over it quickly. "You're lying. What could the Summoner possibly want with her?" Sigma asked, passing the letter along to Eriol.

"Is this the Summoner that you told me about earlier, before we left?" Eriol asked calmly.

"Yes. I don't see what he could possibly want with Sakura."

"Well, it's true, whether you believe it or not. Now, Sigma, I'm calling the Council again. Are you going to attend the meeting? I have to know how much food to prepare."

"Are you crazy? You're not part of the Council! Do any of the rulers know that you rule this Realm?"

"No. Do any of the rulers other than me know where Altarrin is? Do you know who the ruler of the Wind Realm is right now? I'm not the only one that has taken a throne since the war ended."

"Fine. I'll be there. I'm sure Eriol would like to as well," Sigma replied.

"Yes, I would," Eriol said.

"So, what are you waiting for? I thought we were going to call the Council," Sigma said.

"Do you have any idea why Matriana and I were the only ones you could reach on the orb? No one else still has theirs. If we're calling the council, we have to go through each individual Realm to do so. Sigma, I want you to go to Solana. She's the ruler of the Wind Realm now. She's about twenty-one, if I remember correctly, and chances are, she'll be riding her pegasus, Zephyr, through her Realm. Wait for her in her castle. Her maids and servants will happily receive you until she returns.

"Eriol, can I entrust you to find Candice? She rules the Fire Realm. She's about Sigma's age and has been around since the War of Power Rings. She's got a bad temper and breeds dragons with her free time. She doesn't generally wander from her castle, but if she's not there, wait at the front door for her. Here," Shadow said, handing both Sigma and Eriol an envelope. "Give them to the rulers I send you to."

"What about you? Aren't you going to do anything?" Sigma asked.

"I'm going to stay here and plan an attack. I've already called Matriana with the orb. She'll be joining us shortly."

"So, you're just going to sit here while we work for you?" Sigma asked incredulously. "How did _you_ ever become the ruler?"

"Because I can single-handedly defeat all six of you sitting here right now. If you'd like to test that theory, we can. I'm growing impatient. Just go and do what I've told you. I'll control the shift of the Realm when you get back. That way, the castle will be right next to the Portal. Go!"

With that, Shadow disappeared, receding into the dark depths of his castle and leaving Eriol and Sigma to stare at each other for a moment or two. "Well, let's go. We don't have any choice but to trust him. He _is_ the ruler of this Realm. I can feel power pulsing off of him. Perhaps it's those – what did you call them? Clow Cards? – that I feel the power from. Either way, he does have a lot of power. I'll go find this Solana, and you can find Candice. She's not too bad as long as you don't anger her."

"Alright. Keroberos, Yue, you two stay here. I'll go with Spinel and Ruby."

"What can we possibly do here? We may as well come with you," Keroberos replied.

"Aren't you gone yet? The Portal is right outside," Shadow said, walking out of the kitchen.

"We're going, give us a few seconds to prepare."

"Will you take Yue and Keroberos with you? I'm sure they can help with something," Eriol said.

"No, I don't need them here. They'll be more helpful with you. I'll be going now. I'll only hold the Realm the way it is for another five minutes or so," Shadow said, walking down an unlit corridor.

"Alright, let's go," Eriol said.

"Sure. I'll send you off to the Fire Realm with the Portal first. Then I'll go off to Wind afterwards."

The six of them walked out of the castle together and stood in front of the Portal, as Sigma recited the incantation for the Fire Realm.

"Heated road,  
Treacherously hot,  
Blaze a path,  
To Fire's hearth."

The surface of the Portal shimmered for a while before returning to its normal, fun-house mirror-like form. "Safe journey, Eriol," Sigma said, bidding Eriol goodbye. After Eriol stepped through, he turned back to the Portal and recited the incantation for the Wind Realm.

"Path of air,  
Calm yet strong,  
Lift open a way,  
To where Wind starts."

Once again, the Portal's surface shimmered and returned to normal. _Well, here goes,_ Sigma thought, stepping through the Portal.

Sigma calmly walked into the Portal, familiar with the freezing effects of its surface. Once on the other side, he turned to the floating castle in the bright Realm. He stood on a tiny piece of land, floating in nothingness. Other, smaller pieces of land floated around beside him. _How am I supposed to get through this Realm again?_ Sigma wondered. Suddenly, he remembered his ability to move earth, no matter how little, and tapped into the Earth Sphere, gripping at the tiny amount of Earth energy that existed in the Wind Realm. He gathered enough energy to move a rock, just big enough for him to stand on.

_This Realm is such a hassle. Earth energy just doesn't work as well here,_ Sigma thought, discontent at the size of his rock.

Sigma stepped onto the rock and smoothly guided it towards the castle which was no more than a mile away. _This shouldn't take too long._ In the back of his mind, he wondered what would happen if he fell off the rock. Slowly, he approached the floating castle.

"Hey!" called a voice from behind him. "You must be Sigma! Pleased to meet you! I'm Solana, the new ruler of this Realm!" A young girl, looking about nineteen or twenty, with long, blond to brown hair flew towards him on a pegasus.

"Yes, I am. Is there no easier way to travel through this Realm?" Sigma asked.

"Well, you could always ride the currents. If you step off the rock, you'll find yourself floating at a near constant height. The Wind energy in this Realm keeps you from falling through. It's why the land masses that we have here stay in place. Anyways, you could always just ride on Zephyr with me. Here, get on!" Solana said cheerily, guiding her pegasus next to Sigma.

Sigma stared at the pegasus for a while before deciding it was better than his little rock. He straddled the pegasus and was unsure of what to hold onto. "Umm… What am I supposed to do to keep from falling off?"

"Put your hands around my waist," Solana said. "Ready?"

"I suppose so," Sigma said uneasily. The pegasus flapped its giant wings and darted forward, towards the castle.

"We should be there in about three minutes!" Solana yelled over the loud wind.

Sigma felt uneasy about flying. _I rule the _Earth_ Realm! Why am I flying? This is just not right,_ he thought, hoping the flight would end soon.

Solana laughed in front of him, obviously enjoying the feel of wind on her face. "Go, Zephyr! Faster!" she laughed.

_She acts like a little ten year old. I guess I'll have to put up with it. We'll need her help if we're to do anything. If we really are facing the Summoner, we'll need all the power we can get._

The pegasus came to a stop, landing on the small strip of ground. "Good girl, Zephyr. Here," Solana said, handing it a block of some unidentifiable substance.

"You do have a floor inside, right?" Sigma asked.

Solana laughed childishly, twirling around with her long golden hair chasing after her for a few seconds before saying, "Of course!" She led Sigma inside and let him to a small table in what looked to be the guest room. "I'll be right back. I know you have something important to tell me, but I'm needed for a little moment. Ask for anything you need. My maids will be happy to serve you."

"Thank you," Sigma said, glad to be back on some semblance of solid ground, even if it was mostly transparent. Sigma reclined in his chair and took the time to observe the wonderful clouds above his head and the odd structure of the castle.

The castle had solid, stone walls, but a glass ceiling, or none, as far as Sigma could tell, and glass floors. The castle was but one story tall, and had stairs that led up to the roof of the building. _This is crazy. Who could possibly live in such a place? I couldn't stand being here for more than two hours!_

Lost in his thought, he didn't notice Solana until she stepped in front of him. "Enjoying the clouds? I had the glass roof and floor put in for just that reason. It's a lot of fun to watch the clouds. The floor is nice too. There aren't any clouds, but it's a nice scene. It's just so… peaceful. You know what I mean?"

Sigma stared blankly at Solana for a few seconds. _Of all the places Shadow could send me…_

"Oh, I'm sorry. I always seem to go off and talk about the nice weather in this Realm. Anyhow, I got a weird message that you were going to be here. It was from some kid named Shadow. He said it was important and that you'd arrive soon. So I decided to take Zephyr out to find you. So…"

"Oh, surely you know about the Council, right? Shadow needs to call the Council so we can… discuss some things. I'm here to invite you to the Dark Realm, where the Council Meeting will be held. As a ruler, it is your duty to attend," Sigma said, giving Solana Shadow's envelope. "Here, Shadow said to give this to you."

"Thanks. When's the meeting?"

"As soon as you can manage. You can take whatever you need to with you. I'm sure Shadow has extra rooms in his castle.

"Alright. I'll go. Will you be staying until I do?"

"Yes. I'm going to escort you back. Have you ever been to the Dark Realm?"

"No. I heard that it's very dangerous, so I decided not to visit. I think I'll be fine with Zephyr and this Anti-ring. I heard that Wind wielding mages weren't particularly welcome there. Their powers are supposed to be weakened considerably. I never found any reason for this. Do you know why?"

"It's simple really. All the elements fall into the category of Light, Dark, or somewhere in between. When you go to either the Light or Dark Realms, these alignments are taken into account. Wind is the only all Light element, while Earth is the only all Dark element. Fire, Water, and Thunder or Lightning all fall in between. Fire is more Light than it is Dark, Water is more Dark than Light, and Lightning or Thunder is directly in between.

"Other than these alignments, there are others. For example, my power's, Earth, are weak here in the Wind Realm because Wind is naturally strong against Earth just as Earth is against Wind. Fire and Water face the same Dilemma. Thunder, or Lightning, faces a peculiar one. It's weak in Fire and Earth, but stronger in Wind and Water." Sigma looked at Solana as he finished, expecting a reply.

"Hmm… That explains a lot about the Realms. I wish I had more previous knowledge of this. I feel like I owe you something for answering my questions. Do you have any that I can answer?"

"Well, there is one. Tell me exactly how these air currents in this particular Realm work."

"Alright. The air currents are like roads. They're very strong and are able to lift things into the air. Every inch of this Realm has a different air current. The currents will lift you about a foot higher than the land, and you can navigate them by… swimming, in essence. Here, I'll show you," Solana said, leading Sigma out of the castle. "Watch as I step over the edge of the castle grounds."

Solana took a step over the edge and was lifted up about a foot. She made swimming motions and pushed herself through the air. "All the currents right next to the land masses will lift you about a foot above the land mass. Further away, they can either go up or down. You just have to know what it is by living around here."

Solana 'swam' away from the castle and fell a few feet. "See? Now, if I go over here…" She turned to her left and 'swam' through the air. Suddenly, she rose six feet above where Sigma was standing. "You just have to know where the currents that take you higher are. Pegasi, however, have an interesting ability to completely ignore these air currents. They can fly as low, or as high as they want, along with most other creatures in this Realm."

"Thank you for the explanation. You can come back now. We need to leave soon," Sigma said, taking mental notes on what Solana said.

"Ok," Solana said, 'swimming' back to the castle. "I'll go pack now. Try it out for yourself; it's fun. Oh, one last thing about the currents. Don't go too fast towards a land mass. You may end up under it, if the previous current was under it, or you could end up way above it. There aren't any above land, so you'll end up falling flat on your face. People have died like that in this Realm. They were in too much of a hurry. Anyways, I'll go pack my stuff now."

"Alright. I'll give this current riding thing a try. It doesn't look too hard," Sigma said, looking over the edge of the ground. Cautiously, he took a step over the edge and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was floating about a foot above the ground. _Not too hard after all,_ he thought, landing back on the castle grounds. _She better be quick. If I'm not mistaken, Shadow hasn't sent anybody off to the Thunder or Light Realms yet. He should send Solana off to light. She'll do well there._

* * *

Eriol landed on the other side of the Portal and found himself in an uncomfortably warm world. _I should have brought a fan with me,_ he thought. He turned to see Yue and Keroberos come through the Portal, along with Ruby and Spinel. "We're supposed to find Candice. You two should probably change forms. It will be easier for you if you're smaller in this heat.

Keroberos and Spinel changed back to their false forms while Eriol surveyed the landscape. The land was bumpy and extremely hot. Steam rose through cracks in the earth, distorting images that lay beyond it. In the distance and above their heads, volcanoes erupted and lava flows covered areas of the land. Off to his right, Eriol say what looked like a castle about two miles off and decided to head for that.

"Eriol, we can't just walk there. The heat will kill us," Kero said, already complaining about the heat.

"I'm prepared," Eriol replied, releasing his staff as he did so. His staff glowed a deep red and created a cool, protective shield around each individual. "There. We'll make it," Eriol said.

The five of them set off towards the castle, walking within relatively cool domes of air. After an hour or so of walking, the party, even with the shield, felt the effects of the harsh climate.

"It's a lot farther than it looked," Kero complained. "Stupid steam. Can't you get us there faster, Eriol?"

"Just keep walking. It's not too much further."

Half an hour later, the sweat-covered party arrived at the front of the castle. Eriol stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" came a woman's voice from inside.

"My name is Eriol Hiiragizawa. I was sent by Shadow, the ruler of the Dark Realm, to come invite Candice, the ruler of this Realm, to the Council Meeting," Eriol responded.

"Oh, Eriol. You're here already. I though for sure I would have to go search for someone fainted on the ground," came a reply.

Eriol stared blankly at the door and recomposed himself before it opened. The door opened a minute later and a tall, flaming red haired woman stepped out to pull them inside. The inside of the castle was much different compared to the outside. While the outside was full of tall, black towers, the inside of the castle was covered in vibrantly colored wallpaper. Pictures hung on every wall, each a picture of a serene place with some form of running water: rolling hills next to a streambed, flat plains slowly melting into the beach which in turn transformed into the ocean.

"Welcome," the woman said. "My name is Candice. I rule this Realm and I heard you were coming. I've prepared cool drinks for you and I expect you'll enjoy your stay. I heard you had something important to tell me. Well, what is it?"

"I'm here to invite you to a Council Meeting that is to be held in the Dark Realm and Lord Shadow's castle. This was entrusted to my possession by Shadow to be presented to you," Eriol said, handing Candice the envelope.

"So, Shadow is inviting me to a Council Meeting. One of those hasn't been called since a little more than twelve years ago. Well, as a ruler, I have to go. Alright, which dragon do you want to ride?"

"Excuse me?" Eriol asked, hiding most of his surprise.

"I have fifteen dragons. Which one would you like to ride?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have any experience with dragons. Perhaps you can choose one that would suit me," Eriol replied politely.

"I see. Well, come with me. I'll show you the tamer dragons. You can choose one that you like and keep it as a gift," Candice said, leading Eriol out the back door.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I could accept a gift of such magnitude," Eriol said.

"Nonsense," Candice said smiling. "It will help you get through this Realm when you come back for tea after we solve whatever mess needs to be solved. You will, of course, return for tea, right?"

"Of course I will. I shall accept your gracious offer then," Eriol said. _Well, this is a very interesting twist. Clow was only able to study one dragon in all his life. Well, I guess I'm going to continue that research as well…_ "Thank you again for the dragon."

"Alright, here we are. Take your pick out of these five. Flame here is mine. Which one would you like?"

Eriol stepped up to each of the five dragons and picked a golden scaled dragon with red wings. "Excellent choice. That's the strongest of these five dragons. Her name is Phyre. Here, you mount a dragon just behind its wings. Dragon's prefer to be ridden bare-backed rather than saddled. However, if you require a saddle, I'll provide you with one."

Eriol hopped onto Phyre and held her reins. "I think I'll manage. Suppi, Kero, you two can ride here with me. Yue, Ruby, I'm sorry, but I don't think you can ride," Eriol said. He released his staff and repeated the spell he used last time. "This should keep you cool until we reach the Portal. Candice, don't you need to pack anything?"

"I've already packed. I always have whatever I'll need packed on Flame," she replied. "Let's go."

The two dragons took flight and tore through the air. Yue and Ruby kept up with the dragons and the party arrived at the Portal about fifteen minutes later. "Well, we're here. Let's go meet this new ruler, Shadow," Candice said, dismounting from Flame.

Eriol dismounted from Phyre and recited the Portal incantation for the Dark Realm.

"Shrouded path,  
Hiding danger,  
Unveil the way,  
To the shadow!"

Yet again, the Portal's surface shimmered for a few seconds before resettling. The six of them, along with Phyre and Flame, whom somehow fit through the Portal, stepped through and vanished from the Fire Realm.

* * *

Well, another one of those random Chapters of Knowledge. This was meant to be an enlightening chapter and was finished in about half a day. So… if it's really bad, please let me know… I'll fix it. Anyways, the only thing I have left to say is the usual.

The Council's being called again! This hasn't happened in a whole 12 years! Wonder if they'll all get along…

Shadow seems intent on saving Sakura. Does he really have a plan that will work?

So far, Solana and Candice have been convinced to come to the Council Meeting. What's going to happen at the meeting? What about the other Realms?

And finally, the challenge once again. Sigh… No one's ever going to solve it.

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	13. Memories

Author's Note (A/N): Basically the same as I always say. I should stop doing these A/Ns at the beginning of the chpts…

Previously:

Shadow calls the Council again. He sends Eriol and Sigma to go find Candice, the Fire ruler, and Solana, the new Wind ruler. They have no trouble doing so, and find their way through the said Realms was particularly easy.

**Chapter 13: Memories**

Sigma and Solana stepped through the Portal and found themselves right next to Shadow's castle. "This is his castle," Sigma said, leading Solana inside.

"Is it always so dark?" Solana asked, barely able to make out Sigma, but taking his hand for comfort.

"No, it does get a little brighter, but not much. Don't worry; parts of Shadow's castle are lit."

Solana told Zephyr to stay while Sigma walked into the castle to be greeted by Eriol, on his way out. "Good afternoon, Sigma."

"Good afternoon. Where are you going?"

"Out for a walk. Shadow wants to speak to you and Solana. I'll see you later," Eriol said, walking out the door.

"Who was that?" Solana asked.

"That was Eriol. He's not from a Realm, but instead, from one of the worlds perpendicular to our Realms."

"Why do I feel so much power coming from him?"

"I'm not sure. I know he uses some type of magic, but none from the Spheres. I never got around to asking him how his magic worked," Sigma replied.

They walked into the dimly lit living room and were greeted by Shadow. "Good afternoon. I'm glad you're here, Solana. I'm sure you didn't have too much trouble going through the Wind Realm, Sigma. Please, have a seat with Candice."

"Hello, Candice. It's been a pretty long time," Sigma said cheerfully.

"Yes, it has. How has your Realm been?"

"It's been fine. It was recently attacked by someone. I'm pretty sure it was the Summoner, but I'm not completely sure."

"Ok, now that the formalities are through, I have a job for the three of you. I need two of you, the two that can move the fastest, to go to the Light Realm and speak with Abner. The other one can go to the Thunder Realm and find Tyrell for me. After that, we'll hold our meeting, provided, of course, that Matriana makes it here by the end of the day. So, who's going where?"

"I'll take Flame and find Tyrell. I haven't seen him since he was just a child," Candice said. "That leaves the two of you with Abner."

"We'll do it. Zephyr can get us through the Light Realm quickly. She never was comfortable in the Thunder Realm," Solana said, brimming with energy.

Sigma stared at Shadow and kept silent. _Well, I suppose as a ruler I should learn to enjoy flying at some point. It may prove to be a useful experience…_

"Alright. You two go find Abner. Here's the invitation. Here's yours, Candice," Shadow said, handing both parties an envelope. "We need to do this quickly. Get going," Shadow commanded, turning away from the group.

"How did he ever become a ruler? He has no manners," Candice muttered to herself.

_I have to agree,_ Sigma thought, feeling uneasy about riding Zephyr again. "Let's go then, Solana."

"Alright!" she replied, still bristling with energy. The two of them walked out of the castle and found the Portal again. Eriol stood next to it, seeming to examine every inch of it.

"Eriol, what are you doing?" Sigma asked.

"I'm studying the Portal. I'm curious as to how they work."

"I'll try to explain them to you when I get back," Sigma replied, trying to remember Light's incantation.

"Let's go!" Solana shouted from atop Zephyr as Sigma began the incantation.

"Lighted path,  
Pure and strong,  
Light the way,  
To Light's own Realm."

The portal flashed a bright white, nearly blinding Sigma. _What's going on?_ Slowly, the light dimmed and the Portal lay, no different from its original form.

"What happened?" Solana asked, recovering from the blinding light.

"I'm not sure. Let's go," Sigma said, stepping up to the Portal.

Sigma stepped through the Portal, followed by Solana and Zephyr. There was no temperature change as he stepped through. The world melted around him, fading out of existence. Suddenly, he was standing on solid ground.

Sigma scanned the horizon, looking for a castle and looking for something that may have cause the strangeness in the Portal. The entire Realm was composed of rolling hills or flat plains, covered in lush, green grass. Atop many hills, there were groves of cherry trees in full bloom. Clear, blue streams elegantly weaved themselves through the landscape. Behind Sigma, a white castle stood, shining in the light.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Solana said, stepping through the Portal. "This is the Light Realm?"

"Yes. I've been here twice before, about eight years ago and during the end of the war. Sections of this Realm were burned, utterly destroyed, during the war. I hope it doesn't happen again."

Sigma stared at the sheer beauty of the Realm, remembering its appearance at the end of the war. The image of the Realm, scorched and laid bare, it's life shriveling

"Sigma? Let's go," Solana said, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Yes. We have a mission. If we fail, this Realm could burn again. We have to prevent that at all costs," Sigma said, mounting Zephyr behind Solana.

Sigma spent the ride remembering what the war had done to this Realm.

"_Sigma, I know it will be difficult for you, but this is the last Spirit. You know we have to weaken it first. Come with me," Abner said, motioning for Sigma to follow._

"_Lead the way," Sigma, now in his early twenties, said._

_The Spirit, in the form of a mounted knight, blazing with pure Light energy, sensed their presence and turned to face them. It stood ten feet high from the hooves of the horse to the top of the horseman's head, surrounded by a large, burned patch of land bare of life but for the Spirit. Everything around it burned in a bright flare, suddenly disintegrating into no more than a pile of acrid dust. The Spirit laughed in a low rumble as it turned to face them. It lifted its rapier above its head. At the tip of the sword, a ball appeared, pulsing with the pure Light energy it was made of._

"_Look out, Sigma!" Natara called from a nearby tree._

_The Spirit's sword collided with the ground and the ball of energy flew away from the sword, disintegrating everything it touched. Sigma and Abner instinctively jumped out of the way, seconds before the ball collided with the spot where they were. "Natara! What are you doing here? You were supposed to stay home!" Sigma cried._

"_I couldn't let you do this alone. You may not be able to tap into the Earth Sphere alone, but with my help, I'm sure you can!" Natara cried, jumping down._

"_Natara, go back! You can't be here! I don't want you hurt!" Sigma cried._

"_Sigma, look out!" Natara cried, running to Sigma._

_Sigma turned around to see the Light Spirit's sword hurling through the air at him. Time seemed to slow down as Sigma's life flashed before his eyes: every little thing he had done, everything he had yet to do._

"_Sigma!" Natara said, pushing him out of the way to be hit by the sword herself._

_Time resumed its normal course as Sigma realized what happened. Natara lay lifelessly on the floor beside him, the glowing sword dissolving as it hit. "Natara! No!" Sigma cried, running over to her. "No, you can't be dead," Sigma said, holding her close. Natara's blood poured out from her chest, washing over Sigma's hands and clothes._

_Sigma looked at the beautiful face of his dear friend. "I was going to ask you after the war. We could have married!" Sigma cried, hatred in his heart for the Spirit that did this. He set Natara down under the tree she had been sitting in. Running his hand through her golden-brown hair one last time, he turned to Abner. "I'll lead," Sigma said shakily. "I will get revenge! This Spirit is mine!"_

_Abner stared at Sigma for a few seconds. "Ok, Sigma. Get the job done. Lead the way."_

_Sigma searched within himself for the power that ran through his body. An image of Natara, lying lifelessly by the tree filled his head. Concentrating on her, he gathered the strength he needed to destroy the Spirit. Pooling all of his emotions into one, he tapped into the Earth Sphere, drawing upon its unimaginable power. He filled himself with it, fueled it with his emotions, and dashed at the speed of sound towards the Spirit._

"_You asked for it!" he cried, flying into the air. A second later, he was ten feet above the Spirit and diving straight for it._

_The Spirit turned to Sigma, forming a sword in its hands. "Foolish human!" it hollered, raising the sword against Sigma._

_Sigma continued towards the Spirit, waiting for the last possible moment to strike. Time slowed, almost stopping, while the Spirit swung its sword at Sigma. The sword sped towards Sigma, threatening to destroy him._

_Inches from the sword, Sigma unleashed the large amount of energy he had mustered, shattering the Spirit's sword and creating a giant axe in his hands. He swung the axe, wrought of pure Earth Energy, at the Spirit, causing it to stagger backwards. Abner jumped up from behind the Spirit and produced a large half-golden, half-silver ring in his hands. He soared towards the heart of the Spirit, pressing the Ring into its back._

_The Spirit disintegrated, leaving only the ring, pulsing with energy._

"_Well done, Sigma. Candice!" Abner cried, seeing Candice stagger towards them._

"_The smaller Spirits disappeared. I guess that means we've won."_

_Sigma ignored the two of them and walked over to Natara's body. "You always loved this Realm. I will protect it with my life."_

"Sigma! We're here!" Solana yelled. "What are you thinking about?"

"The battle that won the war for us. It was held here. The last battle was against the Light Spirit."

Solana gave Sigma a sympathetic look. "Let's go. We need to talk to Abner," Sigma said, dismounting from Zephyr.

The two of them stepped up to the bright castle and knocked on the polished wooden door. "Come in!" came a voice from the other side.

Sigma opened the door and stepped inside the castle with Solana, admiring the beauty of the spires that soared into the air with their awe-inspiring height. As he stepped into the castle, Sigma gazed nostalgically at the hangings on the wall. He stared at the table in the foyer and remembered their meeting there just before the battle. He looked up the stairs, and saw in his mind the form of Natara gliding down in a beautiful white dress, her hair in long braids. _I miss her… I remember a time when we were here together, just enjoying each other's company. I was so stupid. I should've asked her before the battle. Maybe that would have changed everything._

"Good afternoon, Sigma," a brown-haired man in his late forties said. "How are you doing today?"

"Good afternoon, Abner. I'm fine. I've come to call you to a Council Meeting. Shadow, the new ruler of the Dark Realm has called it and sent you this invitation," Sigma said, giving Abner the envelope.

"I see. So the Summoner has finally shown himself. That's peculiar. I wonder what his reason could be for kidnapping a little girl. Speaking of which, has my daughter stepped into your Realm recently?"

Sigma stared at Abner for a while, unsure what he meant. "What's her name again?"

"You remember Elaine, don't you? She was born during the beginning of the war. She's fourteen at the moment. She disappeared about ten days ago."

"Why did she leave?" Solana asked.

"She left a note saying she didn't like the pressures of being a ruler's daughter. She said I keep pushing her too hard to hone her skills."

"No, I haven't seen her. At any rate, will you come to the Council Meeting?"

"Yes, I have to. It's my duty as a Council member to come and I will do so," Abner said. "It will only take me a few minutes to pack."

Abner turned from Sigma and walked up the stairs. "We'll wait for you at the Portal," Sigma said, turning to leave.

"Ok, I'll meet you there."

* * *

Eriol stared at the Portal for a few moments longer before turning back to the castle.

"Eriol," a voice said from behind him.

"Shadow, how did you get there so quickly?"

"Eriol, I need you to help me out for a moment," Shadow said.

"What do you need?"

"I need you, your guardians, and Sakura's to go check on her for me. You have to be careful when you do this. Altarrin may be able to sense when you approach."

"I see. Is there anything you'd like for me to tell her?"

"Just give this to her," Shadow instructed, handing Eriol a folded piece of paper.

"Ok, I'll go. Where's everybody that's supposed to come with me?"

"They're ready to go, waiting for you on the other side of the castle. They have directions. I'll hold the Realm as it is until you get back."

Eriol turned from Shadow and walked around the castle to find Suppi, Kero, Yue, and Ruby waiting for him.

"What took you so long, Eriol?" Ruby asked as soon as he rounded the corner.

"Come on, Eriol. Let's go!" Kero yelled, holding a slip of paper.

"Are those the directions?" Eriol asked when he saw the paper.

"Yes, they're the instructions. Here," Kero said, giving the paper to Eriol.

"Let's go," Eriol said, walking away from the castle, all the while having an uncanny feeling of familiarity with Shadow.

An hour later, they found the Desecrated Lake and turned to their right. They walked for about fifteen minutes before stopping, just as the instructions said. "The mansion should be just ahead, Eriol. How are we going to get by without being noticed?"

"Quietly," Eriol said, walking fifteen steps to his right. He turned back towards the mansion and crept through the dark, confident that he wouldn't be noticed. Suddenly, he felt an aura around the mansion that he identified as Shadow's. "Let's go," he whispered, running up to the mansion. He took out the paper and followed the instructions given on it.

"_**Find the third window from the corner where you arrive. Crawl through the window and walk down the stairs. Sakura should be in the first room on your left."**_

Eriol found the third window and did as Shadow said and stepped inside. He found the stairs directly across the antiquated hall. Burnished metal, dulled by the oppressive darkness that seemed to take on extra weight here, caught Eriol's eye. A short glance around the room pasted its image solidly in Eriol's mind, something he would examine later. Taking only a moment to make observations, he snuck across the room and down the stairs to Sakura's room. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion outside, shaking the foundations of the house.

"It's Shadow!" came a voice from above them.

"Relax, he won't try to save Sakura. Let's go see what he wants," came another voice.

Eriol walked into Sakura's room and found her facedown on a dusty block of wood. "Sakura," Eriol called, shaking Sakura awake.

"Erio –"

Eriol clamped his hand down on Sakura's mouth. "Shhh!" Sakura nodded and Eriol let go. "Shadow sent me to give you this. How are you doing?"

Tears came to Sakura's eyes as she explained everything that had happened. A few minutes later, when Sakura had finished, Kero floated over to Sakura to examine her wounds.

"Can you do anything about this, Eriol?"

"No, I can't. Not without arousing suspicion. We've stayed too long. Read that note when you get the chance," Eriol said, leaving the room as quietly as he came.

"Thanks for visiting Eriol. Thank you, Kero, Yue. When we get out of this, I'll make you the biggest cake in the world," Sakura said, crying as she hugged Kero tightly, with tears of joy falling down her cheeks.

"It's ok, Sakura. Don't cry. Just remember, no matter what, everything will be ok."

"Thank you, Kero. I'm glad you came."

"We have to leave!" Eriol hissed from the top of the stairs.

"Bye, Sakura!" Kero whispered.

The five of them left the room, leaving Sakura in her room. "Goodbye, Kero. I promise about the cake!" Sakura whispered as they disappeared.

Eriol led them out the window one by one. As soon as they were out, they all ran from the mansion, hoping they hadn't stayed too long. They made out Shadow's shape at the front of the building, speaking with someone roughly his height. "Hurry, let's go," Eriol said as they ran from the mansion. Suddenly, Shadow stepped out of the darkness in front of them. "So, you made it," he said. "How's Sakura?"

"She's fine," Eriol responded, walking past Shadow.

Shadow stared after Eriol for a while before fading into the darkness and disappearing.

"What are we going to do about Sakura? We can't just leave here there!" Kero yelled emphatically.

"We'll do as Shadow says, for now," Eriol responded.

"You can't _trust_ him! What makes you think he didn't set this all up?"

"No, I don't trust him, but that's the only thing we can do."

Kero drifted back and whispered something to Yue, shooting suspicious glances at Eriol all the while.

Half an hour later, they arrived at Shadow's castle to find Sigma and another man stepping through the Portal.

"The castle's right there, Abner. Shadow will probably want to speak with you before you get settled."

"Thank you, Sigma. I'd like to meet Shadow. He sounds like an interesting character."

"I assure you he is," Sigma replied dryly.

"Hello, Sigma. Who's this?" Eriol asked, stepping up to them.

"Eriol, this is Abner, an old friend of mine and the ruler of the Light Realm. Abner, this is Eriol, from a world perpendicular to the Realms."

"Pleased to meet you, Eriol. Do you know where Shadow is?"

"No, I'm not sure where he is. He'll probably be waiting for you in the dining room."

"Thank you," Abner replied, walking into the castle.

Eriol and Sigma stood near the Portal, staring at it. "How do they work?" Eriol asked.

"No one knows for sure. The only reason any of us are able to use them is from stone tablets that we found throughout the Realms. They had the incantations on them and described in great detail _how_ to use the Portals, but not why they worked. As far as we can tell, the Portals work by linking similar areas from Realm to Realm. How these areas are similar, we don't know. Nor do we know how the Portal links these areas. So, really, all we know is that the Portals work, and nothing else."

"I see. Is there an incantation to get from the Realms back to my world?" Eriol asked.

"I don't know of one, but someone else might. Each of the Council Members has a library full of ancient texts. Maybe in one of these books, we can find a way for you to get back. Perhaps it tells you in the book you gave Li. I never had the chance to read through that one," Sigma said, lost in his own thoughts.

"Thank you. I'll be going now. I'd like to get some rest before we do anything else," Eriol said, turning towards the castle.

"Good night, Eriol. Maybe we can puzzle out how the Portals work tomorrow."

"Good night." Eriol walked into the castle and up the stairs to the room Shadow had given him. It wasn't a particularly large room, but there was a comfortable bed and an attached bathroom. Sakura's former room, now belonging to Kero and Yue, lay across the hallway and was half again as large as Eriol's room. Eriol laid down on the bed and attempted to come up with a plan to rescue Sakura when sleep rolled over him.

* * *

"Wake up!" a harsh voice yelled.

Sakura awoke with a start and quickly got out of bed. "Yes?" she asked, looking at Lloyd.

"Scared you!" he said, laughing. "You're so much fun to toy with. Let's play a game," he said with a menacing smile on his face.

"Wh-what game?" Sakura asked, fearful of the answer.

"Let's just call it 'Cat and Mouse.' I'm sure you'll enjoy it," Lloyd said, motioning for Sakura to get out of her room.

Sakura stepped out of her room, wincing when Lloyd struck her far from gently on the back.

"Would you like some ointment for that?"

"Y-you'll give m-me ointment?" Sakura asked disbelievingly.

"If you don't let Altarrin know I did," Lloyd replied sympathetically. "And if you promise to play," he added with a wink.

"Ok," Sakura said nervously, but grateful. _I suppose he can't be all bad,_ Sakura thought as she watched Lloyd walk up the stairs. A minute later, he returned with a bowl of a questionable brown solution.

"Lay down," he said, dipping his fingers into the gooey substance.

Sakura did as she was told, still unsure of Lloyd's sincerity. Lloyd walked over to Sakura and set the bowl down on the 'bed' next to her. He pulled Sakura's shirt up and rubbed the substance onto her back, causing her to wince in pain.

"Hold still. It will only hurt for a little while," he said, pushing a little harder.

"Ow!" Sakura screamed. "Not so hard!"

Lloyd immediately pressed harder, causing Sakura to bite her lip to keep quiet. "Stop complaining. I'm taking a risk doing this for you!" he retorted, decreasing the pressure he applied to Sakura's back. He dipped his hand back into the substance and scooped up about a tablespoon's worth, rubbing it onto Sakura's back. A few minutes later, he finished and stood up. "Wait here," he said, walking towards the bathroom. "Let's see how well you cleaned the place."

Sakura heard running water and a loud 'clang' before Lloyd appeared back in Sakura's room with a clean bowl. "You ready for our game?"

"Ummm… ok," Sakura said, getting up from the bed.

"Here are the rules. One, you can't scream no matter what I do. Two, you can't leave the basement. Three, no using magic. Four, no kicking, punching, or any other way of injuring me. I think that's all. If I'm forgetting anything, I'll tell you during our 'game.'"

Sakura stared at Lloyd, unsure what she'd gotten into. "What are you going to do?"

"Toy with you, of course. Think of it as a game of tag. Except I'm always 'it' and I'll be tagging with tiny bolts of electricity. I'll give you a five second head start. You better get going," Lloyd said, sitting down on Sakura's bed.

Sakura stared at Lloyd for a moment before turning to run, trying to find a place to hide.

"One."

Sakura ran into a room next to the bathroom and decided to hide under the dusty bed in the room. _What did I get myself into?_

"Two."

Slowly, she got down on stomach and crawled under the bed.

"Three."

_Stupid cobwebs,_ she thought, squirming further towards the wall.

"Four."

Pressing herself against the cobweb covered wall, Sakura awaited Lloyd's inevitable approach with terror in her heart.

"Five."

_What's he going to do when he finds me?_

"I hope you took the time to hide yourself where I won't find you for the next five minutes. That or in an open area where you can run."

Sakura stared at the doorway, listening to Lloyd's footsteps as he approached. _Please don't let him find me!_ she thought to herself.

Lloyd's feet appeared in the doorway and walked past, into the bathroom. "Just to let you know, this will be over in four and a half minutes. If I find you before then, I'll get to chase you, if you can run, for whatever amount of time is remaining. If you can't run, I'll just have to zap you until you start running."

_Why did I hide under this bed?_

Lloyd's feet reappeared in the doorway and continued past. A few seconds later, his feet appeared again, this time, entering the room. "Where are you, Sakura?" Lloyd asked, approaching the bed.

Sakura stared in horror, biting her lip to keep from trembling. Slowly, she saw Lloyd's knee approach the ground. The world around her stopped as Lloyd's hand and other knee approached the ground. "I sure hope you're not hiding under this bed. You're going to have a difficult time getting out."

Lloyd's face appeared in the crack between the bed and the floor, smiling somewhat maliciously. _I hope he can't see me…_

"Sakura! What a surprise to find you down here!" Lloyd said as a magical aura surrounded him.

Sakura stared in horror, squirming downwards to try to get out. A small bolt of electricity hit her from Lloyd's finger, causing her to bump her head into the bed. Bolts of electricity came from Lloyd's fingers in waves, zapping Sakura from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. Sakura put her hands in front of her to shield herself from the bolts, giving up on escape.

"Don't worry, there's only two minutes left," Lloyd said with a sadistic smile on his face. The bolts of electricity sprang from Lloyd's fingers at an even faster pace, colliding with Sakura with a greater force each time.

Sakura felt nothing but pain. Pain added to pain, and eventually, each bolt felt as if Sakura had been hit by a rock. The short pauses between the bolts brought a short time of relief, only to be shattered less than a second later by the sudden pain of the next wave of electricity.

"It hurts, doesn't it? Each bolt builds on the pain of the last one, feeling stronger. I'll give you the next five seconds to get out from under the bed and run. It's more fun for me to have to chase you."

Sakura scrambled out from under the bed and ran from Lloyd. A second later, Lloyd was behind her, still surrounded in his aura of magic. Sakura ran, searching for a way out, desperate to find a haven among the filthy objects that lay throughout the basement. "Please, leave me alone," she pleaded, flattening herself against the wall, cornered.

"There's only a minute left," Lloyd said, summoning bolts of electricity which sprang again from his hands at her.

Sakura curled into a ball, attempting to protect herself from every bolt that hit her. Unable to do so, she began to cry, her only comfort. "Please, stop," she pleaded, somehow managing to get the words out.

Lloyd continued for what seemed like a lifetime, unleashing waves of energy bolts, all of which collided with Sakura, spreading through her body and causing her hair to stand on end. Finally, he stopped and extended his hand to Sakura. "Come on, the game's over."

Sakura refused his help and ran over to her wooden bed, crying into her hands. She laid herself down on the bed and buried her head within her arms, crying harder still.

"It wasn't that bad, Sakura. I know that what Altarrin did to you was worse," Lloyd said, stepping over to Sakura. "Come on, stop crying."

Sakura ignored everything she heard. She continued to cry for everything that had happened. She cried for the pain she felt now. She cried for the whipping she had received a few hours past. And finally, she cried for Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling, sitting in a cage somewhere above her, submitted to unknown tortures.

"Stop crying, Sakura. Don't make me count," Lloyd warned, surrounding himself in his aura of magic.

"Leave me alone!" Sakura yelled, muffled by her own arms.

"Fine. Next time Altarrin does something to you, don't expect me to anything about it," Lloyd said, heading for the stairs. He stole a quick glance back at Sakura before walking up the stairs, muttering something to himself.

Sakura lay by herself. She cried for a while longer, until eventually, she fell asleep.

* * *

What's going to happen to Sakura? Altarrin must want her for a reason, even Abner says so!

Is Lloyd the sadistic creep he sounds like? Or is there something more to him? Why did he offer Sakura ointment to heal her wounds, then turn around and zap her half to death? Why can he use electric powers anyways?

What did Kero whisper to Yue? Might he be planning to rescue Sakura with just Yue? Would Yue agree to this? Is it just that they don't trust Eriol? Or maybe they don't trust Shadow…

Well, that's all I have to say… for the time being. Here's your wonderful challenge.

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	14. Plan of Rescue

Author's Note (A/N): Only a few chapters left in this fic. Not sure quite how many.

Previously:

Sigma, Solana and Candice find the rest of the Council Members. Shadow sends Eriol to give Sakura a message. Later, Sakura is toyed with by Lloyd and starts crying. She cries herself to sleep and so, we ended the chapter. Next Chapter:

**Chapter 14: Plan of Rescue**

Sakura woke up and stared around her dark room, remembering what happened an hour ago. She walked over to her belongings and searched through it for Shadow's second note._ I told myself I'd read it later. Well, it's later,_ Sakura thought, unfolding the sheet of paper.

"_**Sakura,**_

_**I plan on rescuing you and your friends. I'm sorry you have to go through this. I hope this cheers you up. Await my arrival: sometime in the next three days, maximum. Keep smiling.**_

_**Shadow"**_

_Thanks, Shadow, but how are you going to rescue me? What about my friends? You can't let Altarrin hurt them,_ Sakura thought solemnly. _I hope you come soon, but I don't want my friends to get hurt._

Sakura walked, barefoot, into the bathroom to wash her face. She splashed cold water on herself and stared into the mirror as small droplets of water dripped quietly into the sink. She turned around and pulled up her shirt to check her wounds. Surprisingly, they had all but disappeared, leaving only tiny, almost unnoticeable, red lines. _Wow, that stuff Lloyd rubbed on here really worked. I wonder what it was…_

"Sakura!" came Lloyd's voice from the stairs.

"Yes?" Sakura asked, stepping out of the bathroom cautiously.

"Come, sit down," Lloyd said, motioning for Sakura to sit on her bed.

Sakura did so, vaguely pondering what Lloyd might have planned.

"Why are you shaking? You're not scared, are you?" Lloyd asked.

"A little… I'm a little cold too?"

"Sakura, are you ok?"

Sakura stared at Lloyd, unable to comprehend his previous question. "Wh-what?"

"Are you ok? I'm sorry I hurt you. I really just wanted to have some fun. It's so boring working for Altarrin. Look, I don't want to be your enemy. I know Altarrin can be mean sometimes, and I don't want to add to that. So, are you ok?"

"Thank you, Lloyd. I'm fine," Sakura said, tears of relief and gratitude coming to her eyes.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"It… It's just that this is the first good thing that's happened to me since I've come here. Thank you," Sakura replied, wiping her tears.

"I'm sorry. Hold on, I'll bring you something to eat," Lloyd said, running up the stairs.

_Why is he being so nice to me? _Sakura thought, lying back down on her bed. A few minutes later, Lloyd approached Sakura with a small bowl of soup.

"Sorry, this is all I could get," Lloyd said, handing her a spoon.

"It's alright. It's enough."

Sakura ate the soup in silence, wondering how everything would turn out. When she finished, she gave the empty bowl back to Lloyd and decided to go back to sleep. "What time is it?"

"It's about ten at night. Sleep well," Lloyd said, leaving Sakura to her dreams.

Sakura slowly gave into sleep, hoping that everything would be alright.

* * *

Sakura woke up in a lit room, puzzled as to where she was. She removed the blanket from atop her and got off the comfortable bed. _Wasn't I sleeping on a block of wood?_ Slowly, she came to her senses and realized she was back in Shadow's castle, getting up out of her former bed.

"Sakura, you're awake," came Shadow's voice from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, I guess," Sakura said, still half-asleep. "Shadow, what am I doing here?"

"Why wouldn't you be here? Is something wrong?"

"I thought… I don't remember. Something happened," Sakura said, her thoughts escaping her for the moment.

"Well, Sakura, time to go." Shadow held out his hand for Sakura, smiling as he did so. Sakura took Shadow's hand and was led out of her room to a Portal just outside the castle. He quietly muttered something under his breath and the Portal's surface became a deep, blood red.

"Shadow, where are you taking me?"

"I'm not taking you anywhere. Our journey ends here!" Shadow yelled, pushing Sakura through the eerie Portal.

Sakura fell into the Portal. The world swirled around her, shapes blended into one another, and she lost consciousness. Seconds later, she awoke on a black rock surrounded by red, bubbling liquid. _Where am I?_

She grabbed her Cards from her pocket and found fifty-four total Cards, two more than she expected. She quickly searched through her deck and found two nameless Cards, one with a hooded figure, its eyes shining a bright red. The other portrayed a large oval shaped glass, its body swirling with neither a beginning, nor an end. Staring at the two new Cards, she tried to make sense of where she was. She got up from the rock and stared out over the sea of bubbling substance.

"Fly!" Sakura shouted, causing wings to sprout out of her back. She flew over the liquid and searched for a way back… somewhere. _Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do?_ she wondered, unable to find anywhere to land.

Thirty minutes later, she finally found a piece of land, not too different from the one she had awoken on. She landed and let Fly return to its Card, exhausted from the long flight, and sat down on the rock. _Where am I?_

Sakura got up and paced the length of the island. _I thought I was with Altarrin. How did I end up with Shadow?_ Suddenly, she was standing in a large, marble room with a large, stone arched doorframe at the far end. Where the door should have been, there was a soapy film, glistening in the bright light. _What's going on?_

"Prepare yourself, Sakura," came a familiar voice followed by a malevolent laugh. "The end is near!"

Sakura looked around, unable to find the source of the voice. "Who are you?"

"I am the puppet master! I will use your life as my freedom!"

Sakura trembled in fear as darkness closed in on her. _No! What am I going to do?_ she thought, running from the tentacles of darkness. The darkness edged nearer, threatening to bind her within their grasp, to snuff the life out of her.

"You are only delaying what is inevitable. You will never escape!" the voice called after her.

Sakura ran through the strange marble building, searching for a door to the outside. _There has to be a way out!_ All of a sudden, she was in a beautiful meadow with small, newly sprouted flowers in front of her. Flowers of many different colors lay in front of her, filling the meadow with color. A clear stream ran through the meadow, leading to a large, bright castle. _Where am I now?_

What looked like a winged horse pranced through the sky, ridden by a light-brown haired woman. The pegasus landed a few feet from Sakura and the woman got off, smiling until she saw Sakura.

"You're alive? How?" she asked, walking over to Sakura, putting a hand on her cheek. "You're really here!"

"Wh-who are you? What's going on?" Sakura asked, completely confused. "Why wouldn't I be alive?"

"No, I'm dreaming. It's not possible. We saw you… We saw you die. You can't be…" the woman said, fading away to be replaced by a younger brown-haired girl.

"You! You took my father from me!" she said, surrounding herself in a bright aura. "I will make you pay!"

"What are you talking about? Who's your father?" Sakura asked desperately. "Aaaahh!" she yelled as a stream of burning energy drew near to her.

"You will die!" the girl said, wielding a bright steel sword.

Sakura ran from the deranged girl, positive that she had not killed the girl's father. In front of her, seven different colored figures appeared for a split second. _What were those?_ she wondered. _I must be dreaming!_

A second later, a large, translucent, dragon descended from the sky, unleashing a torrent of lightning strikes. The yellow and majestic dragon saw Sakura and headed straight for her, creating a large, yellow sphere in its two fore claws. Out of the sphere came a bolt of lightning, aimed at Sakura's heart. Instinctively, Sakura dove out of the way, landing on her stomach a foot away from the singed earth where the lightning had hit.

Quickly, Sakura got up and ran from the hovering dragon, lacking time to think. Somehow, she ended up in a large house, comfortable looking and full of imperial red cushions. Sakura sat on one of the comfortable chairs, attempting to regain her breath, and caught up with her thoughts. _What's going on? None of this makes any sense!_

"Of course it doesn't, Sakura. How can anything make sense to you? You're no longer alive!" Shadow said, appearing in front of her. "Through your death, you unleashed upon all the worlds a terrible evil! We owe our pain and suffering to you!" Shadow shouted as a dark aura surrounded him.

Suddenly, Sakura was against a wall, pinned down by invisible chains of pure energy. The chains tightened, ripping into her flesh. "Aaaaahhh!" she screamed as the skin on her wrists tore. "Shadow! Stop!"

"After what you've done? You've committed what is unforgivable! I will not allow you to harm her any longer!" Shadow said, forming a dark, steel sword in his hands. "Your life has caused chaos! Your death has caused suffering! And your death again will be our redemption!" Shadow charged at Sakura with his sword and slashed her across the chest.

"Aaaaahhh!" Sakura yelled, feeling immense pain as the dark blade cut through her flesh and tainted her soul.

* * *

Sakura awoke with a start, the images of her dream fresh in her mind. _Shadow wouldn't do that, would he? What happened in there? Am I going to die?_ Sakura wondered, walking over to the bathroom to wash up again.

"Miss Kinomoto, why all the noise?" came a slightly annoyed voice.

Sakura immediately turned around to find a figure cloaked in darkness. "I… I'm sorry. I… I j-just had a… a dream," Sakura stuttered as Altarrin advanced.

"You've disturbed my peace. Perhaps your last punishment wasn't enough. Or perhaps, you've taken a liking to being punished. Tell me something, Sakura Kinomoto, which one of your friends here do you care for most?"

Sakura stared at Altarrin as three cages phased into existence next to him. Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling each lay unconscious in their own cage. Sakura stared in horror when Altarrin stepped towards Meiling's cage and dragged her unconscious body out.

"Well? Is it this one?" Altarrin asked, producing his whip in one hand and grabbing Meiling's collar with the other.

"No! Leave her alone!" Sakura cried.

"Then choose. Which one do you like most?"

_I can't choose… Li…_ "They're all my friends! I won't let you hurt them!"

"And how might you prevent me from doing so? Take Meiling here for example. If I choose to draw my hand back in preparation to strike her, like so, what can you do about it?"

"Stop! Leave her alone!" Sakura yelled.

Altarrin threw Meiling back into the cage and turned to Sakura. "Perhaps you'd like to take her place?"

Sakura fell to her knees in tears. _Why can't he just leave us alone?_

"Well? Or perhaps Miss Daidouji here. How does that sound?"

"Leave them alone! Please?" Sakura begged.

Altarrin laughed spitefully. An odd aura surrounded him and suddenly, Sakura rammed into the wall behind her. He raised the whip above his head and slashed diagonally downwards, three feet in front of Sakura. A line of energy followed the tip of the whip until a crescent shaped line floated in the air. "This will be your punishment for disturbing my peace!" Altarrin yelled, thrusting the energy at Sakura.

The energy crescent hit her across the chest, inflicting an almost unbearable amount of pain. "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" Sakura screamed as it hit, knocking her unconscious.

"You should consider yourself lucky. If I had the privilege of finishing you off, I would!" Altarrin yelled, turning his back on Sakura's unconscious body, lying on the bathroom floor.

* * *

"Is everyone here? Where's Tyrell?" Shadow asked, sitting at the head of the long dinner table.

"In a second!" came a gruff voice down the hallway.

Exactly one second later, a flash of light appeared in Tyrell's seat. When the light disappeared, Tyrell was found sitting in his chair. He looked around the room with a slightly amused smile on his face and semi-spiky, dark, blond hair. Tyrell wore his traditional clothes, seeming a little flamboyant in the company of those around him.

Everyone turned to face the 25 year old man, some with amusement, others with a tinge of annoyance. Tyrell stared back, not changing his expression for a moment and continuing to smile at everyone.

"That was completely unnecessary," Candice commented, a little annoyed.

"Get over it," Shadow commanded. "We've more important matters to attend to. First, we need to come up with a good plan of attack. Remember, your Realms _are_ at stake here!"

Candice stared at Shadow crossly. "I think I'd rather lose my Realm than have to work with you!"

"Candice, quiet down. We have to work with him right now. Besides, it wouldn't be wise to start a fight here, on his ground," Sigma advised.

"Fine, but I'm only here for Sakura's sake!" Candice yelled, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

"Now that that's settled, what's your plan of attack, Shadow?" Solana asked cheerily.

"Before I tell you that, we need to be clear on one thing. If we don't work together, we _will_ fail. Altarrin has unimaginable power. Some of us know about this," Shadow said, motioning to the older Council Members. "However, some have yet to experience his power firsthand." Shadow looked at Solana and Tyrell as he spoke. "Also, he does have in his possession a considerable number of innocent bystanders. We can't risk their safety. Abner, you especially must be careful. He has your daughter."

"What? When did you find out? How do you know?"

"I went to… visit… him a few hours ago and I felt the presence of a Light sorcerer. I assume this is your daughter. If not, it will be someone from your Realm."

"You would be correct. Only my daughter and I can access the Light Sphere in the entire Realm. And unless Altarrin himself can do so, he indeed has my daughter. I told her not to go off on her own!"

"Ok, now that we're clear on these items, let's talk about our plan. We can't attack him directly, so we'll have to sneak up on him."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

"I assume you've all brought your Anti-rings, yes? Well, I plan on creating a diversion. The six of you can use your rings and your natural powers, working together, and create something, whatever you want, to distract him. Then, I'll sneak in, with Eriol and Solana and we'll rescue the captives. Then, we'll have to attack him with all we have."

"That sounds simple enough, but is it a little too simple? How do we know this will work?" Matriana asked.

"We don't. Those of you who are weaker in power here, namely Abner, Candice and Solana, will come with me afterwards to help save Sakura."

"I object!" Candice said, standing up. "You want _me_ to work with _you_?"

"Yes, I do. For Sakura's sake, remember? Besides, we won't be next to each other. I need enough people to rescue all five of them. If Elaine is in there –"

"How do you know my daughter's name?" Abner cut in.

"That's not important. As I was saying, If Elaine is in there, I want you, Abner, to go after her. Candice, you and Flame can go with Solana and Zephyr to find Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling. I'll get Sakura out."

"Fine!" Candice yelled, sitting back down and re-crossing her arms, muttering something under her breath.

"What are we supposed to do after we create the diversion?" Tyrell asked.

"Well, I expect he'll come out and attack you. I need you to hold your ground until we get everyone out. Then we'll all hit him with everything we have. Eriol, you're going to come with me to get Sakura. If anything goes wrong, make sure you get Sakura out of there."

"Ok, what about these four?" Eriol asked, motioning to the four guardians.

"They'll be outside, waiting for us. You four can help with the diversion."

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Sigma yelled, getting up.

"Alright, now that we're all clear on what to do, let's go rescue Sakura," Shadow said, getting out of his chair.

The twelve of them walked out of the castle, all determined to rescue Sakura and bring down the Summoner. Slowly, they approached the large mansion. "Is everyone ready?" Shadow asked quietly when they were less than half a mile away.

Everyone nodded determinedly, ready to bring down the Summoner.

"Good. Start the diversion," Shadow whispered, leading Solana, Candice, Eriol and Abner away from the group.

Sigma watched as they left and reached for the Earth Sphere, pulling as much energy as he could hold. He added the Anti-ring's power to his own and looked at Matriana who did the same thing, staring at Tyrell. Tyrell embraced his own Power Sphere and nodded to Sigma to signify that he was ready.

"Ok, let's pool our energies together," Sigma said, directing the energy he held to a spot between the three of them. Matriana and Tyrell did the same and an invisible pool of energy appeared between them. The three of them nodded in agreement and pulled on this mixture of energy, sending it in front of the mansion. Suddenly, the ground in front of the mansion shook, thunder rumbled above it, lightning stuck the ground repeatedly, and a cyclone of water touched down. The electrified cyclone was surrounded by strips of earth as pillars of rock appeared from thin air. A large, semi-transparent sea dragon's head protruded from the electrified cyclone and roared terribly.

"What's all this racket?" a boy asked, stepping out of the mansion. "Whoa." He quickly ran back inside. A few minutes later, a figure that seemed to beckon the darkness to himself appeared in the doorway. In one hand, he produced a glowing whip while in the other, a ball of energy appeared. The figure jumped up and slashed diagonally downwards with his whip while shooting long streams of energy at the cyclone.

"We have to strengthen it. Hurry, we need to gather more power," Sigma said, pulling energy towards him, transferring it to the pool, and directing a mixture of the energy to strengthen the cyclone.

Yue, Ruby, Spinel and Keroberos flew to the cyclone, sending bolts of energy to strengthen it.

"I am Altarrin! You will fall before me!" the figure shouted, keeping the cyclone at bay.

Altarrin landed next to the cyclone and jumped back into the air, spinning with his whip. The tip of the whip drew a golden line of energy, creating a cyclone of its own. Seconds later, Altarrin could no longer be seen, surrounded in a golden wall. The golden cyclone touched the ground, shaking the earth for miles.

"We need more power!" Matriana yelled, adding her Water energy to the pool.

"Agreed," Sigma said, looking at Tyrell. The three of them pulled more energy into the pool while building up their cyclone's defenses, preparing it for Altarrin. Huge walls of rock appeared between Altarrin and the cyclone, blocking his attacks. A large storm cloud appeared above the golden cyclone, readying to strike. Large rocks appeared above the cloud and spiraled into the golden cyclone as electrified hail struck at Altarrin.

"They need a bit more time! We have to keep this up just a little longer!" Tyrell yelled, exhausted from all the energy output. The three of them nodded in agreement and continued their attack on Altariin's cyclone.

"Fools!" Altarrin boomed, sending his golden cyclone straight towards the other one. Quickly, Yue and Keroberos created an energy shield around the cyclone, hoping to save it.

The two whirlwinds collided with a loud crack and the large sea dragon roared loudly, spewing electrified liquid at its opponent. Clouds appeared all over Altarrin, raining baseball sized hail onto Altarrin's head, every one met by a flick of his whip, breaking them to pieces.

"You cannot defeat me!" Altarrin yelled, creating line after line of energy. Large streams of water, hail, and thunder collided with Altarrin's lines, leaving them completely unharmed. The lines sped through the air, colliding with the watery twister. The dragon fell, dissolving before it hit the ground.

"Just a little longer!" Sigma yelled, exhausted.

"You will cower in fear!"

_We have to hold on! Just a few more minutes should be enough for them to get back out!_ Sigma thought, straining his magical energies.

* * *

"Hurry," Shadow whispered urgently as a large cyclone of water appeared in front of the mansion. "We won't have much time. Altarrin's pretty strong and the three of them can only do so much."

"I know!" Candice hissed.

Shadow kept quiet, deciding it was better to avoid a feud at the moment. "Let's go," he whispered, motioning for Eriol to follow him. "I don't know exactly where the others are. You'll have to locate them on your own."

"Ok, we'll be fine," Solana said, leading Candice through the window.

Abner followed them. Once inside, they went up the nearest stairs, beginning their search. Meanwhile, Shadow and Eriol nodded at each other and walked down the stairs to find Sakura.

"Well, what do we have here?" asked a platinum haired boy as they appeared at the bottom of the steps.

"Who are you?" Shadow asked, taking in Dark energy as he did so.

"I am Lloyd, humble servant and advisor to Altarrin. You must be the infamous Shadow. I've been waiting to meet you face to face! _Sphienents_, attack!"

Two _sphienents_ appeared from behind Lloyd, glowing a deep red. "Yes, master," they hissed, sending their tentacles at Shadow.

Shadow dodged through their tentacles with lithe agility, each one flying clear past him. He formed his staff in his hands, beginning with the long black rod and followed by the large eagle-like bird at the top and called on Fiery. Fiery appeared and hit one of the _sphienents_ with tremendous force, knocking it back and setting it ablaze.

"Aaaaaahhh!" it screamed, rolling on the floor to put out the flames. The other _sphienent_ lunged at Shadow, missing as Shadow quickly sidestepped the attack.

"Sword!" he cried, transforming his staff into a long sword. He pulled in the Dark energy from around him and suffused his sword with it. The sword in his turned a deep, eerie black, surrounded by an aura of Dark energy. Shadow slashed straight down with the sword, an explosive line of energy appearing on the ground where he hit. The line extended, obliterating the _sphienent_ when it hit.

"You may as well give up, Shadow. One wrong move and your friend Sakura will have to say goodbye," Lloyd said, producing what looked like a joystick in his hand. A small, blue button shimmered on top of it, his finger inches from it. "Lose your weapon," Lloyd commanded. "You too, drop that staff!" he said, noticing Eriol.

Shadow and Eriol let their staves disappear, unwilling to risk Sakura's safety. "Fine, what do you want?" Shadow asked.

"It's simple really. Come here," Lloyd said, walking into the dark room behind him.

Shadow and Eriol exchanged glances and followed after Lloyd, Sakura's safety hanging in the balance.

"Come," Lloyd said, leading them to Sakura's sleeping body.

"What do you want with her?" Shadow asked, ready to embrace the Dark energy flowing through the Realm.

"Take her and run. Knock me out; make it look like you overpowered me."

Shadow stared at Lloyd, more than a little confused. He nodded.

"Look, just do it. You want to save her, right?"

Shadow glanced at Eriol, then Sakura. Finally, his eyes landed on Lloyd's watering eyes. He nodded and filled himself with Dark energy, just enough to knock Lloyd out. "Why are you doing this?" Shadow asked before he struck.

"I just am. Your friends outside need your help. If you defeat Altarrin, promise me you'll let me see her again."

Shadow nodded again and hurled some dark energy at Lloyd, gently knocking him unconscious. "Let's go," he said, picking Sakura up.

The two of them walked up the stairs in complete silence, still unsure what to make of Lloyd. When they reached the window, Eriol climbed out first. Shadow handed Sakura's still unconscious body to Eriol and climbed out afterwards.

"We need to take her somewhere safe. Eriol, can I get you to take her to the castle? I'll inform Kero and Yue," Shadow said, running back to Sigma and the other rulers.

Eriol stood holding Sakura for a while before walking off towards the castle. _Well, at least Sakura's free._

* * *

Questions? Comments? Please do email me at any point to give me your comments/questions. It won't be too long before this fic is over, but I'm planning a sequel. Let's see just how this will end. Here's your ponderment list:

What's with Lloyd? He's kinda weird, isn't he? Did anyone expect him to do that?

Sakura has the weirdest dream. I wonder what all of that is about. Sounds to me like the doom will reign on the world if Sakura dies. But what did Shadow mean by 'your death again?' Did he expect Sakura to come back to life?

Hooded figure with bright red eyes. First off, a note: Imagine The Shadow Card with two specks of red light under its hood. That's the picture of this new Card. Anyways, hmm… a hooded figure: wonder what it could be. New cards… will more appear?

Well, that's that. I hope someone figures out the challenge. There're only a few chpts left before I reveal it to the world. I think. I'm not sure if I'll do it in this fic… Here it is again for those who are too lazy to go back to find it.

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	15. Declaration of War

Author's Note (A/N): Chapter's a little late. I had bunches of work this week, so I didn't have much time. Enjoy!

Previously:

Shadow meets with the rest of the rulers and they invade Altarrin's mansion to rescue Sakrua! Yay! Sakura has some odd dream, and then she's rescued and we leave them with Eriol carrying Sakura towards Shadow's castle.

**Chapter 15: Declaration of War**

"Shadow! We need some help!" Sigma cried as he saw Shadow approach.

"Don't worry about it!" Shadow yelled, taking out the Fly Card. "Fly!" Dark wings sprouted from his back in an eruption of feathers as he took flight. "Keroberos! Yue! Sakura is with Eriol, go find him if you want to see her!"

Kero and Yue turned to see Shadow coming to them. They exchanged glances and flew off in Eriol's direction, sensing his aura.

"Altarrin!" Shadow cried as the watery cyclone disappeared.

"Shadow! How dare you attack me? You will pay!" Altarrin yelled flying at full speed towards Shadow.

Immediately, Shadow's staff appeared in his hand along with one of his Cards. "Dark!" he yelled, infusing the card with Dark energy from his Realm.

Darkness enveloped Shadow, extending out to Altarrin with thin, smoke-like tendrils. "You're on my ground, Altarrin, you'll play by my rules!"

"I've broken all rules known to man. Yours will be no different!" Altarrin shouted as a glowing aura surrounded him. Shadow disappeared into the dark, completely cloaked and unseen. "Where are you? Come out and fight!"

"Gladly!" Shadow yelled, appearing behind Altarrin, lunging for his throat with a Dark wrought sword. As the sword connected with flesh, Altarrin faded into nothingness before instantaneously reappearing behind several feet away.

"You can't beat me with such childish tactics!" Altarrin cried, lashing out with his whip. Shadow weaved around each of Altarrin's strokes, swiftly making his way to Altarrin. He formed a dark sword again and swung it at Altarrin. The sword sliced through the air where Altarrin had been, disintegrating. "That's it!" Altarrin yelled, disappearing again.

Shadow called Dark back into its card. He looked around, trying to find where Altarrin had gone.

"Shadow! Altarrin went inside!" Tyrell yelled, pointing to the mansion.

"Aaaahhh!" they heard Solana scream from inside. Suddenly, the mansion burst into flames and Solana, Candice, and Abner appeared, carrying with them the hostages.

"Are you ok?" Shadow asked as the three of them landed a few feet away from him.

"We're fine," Solana said, laying Meiling next to a tree and turning to help Li off Zephyr. "Did we get everyone out?"

"Yes, everyone's safe. Now we can take down Altarrin," Candice said. Magical auras surrounded each of the rulers, including Shadow. They formed a semicircle and pooled their energies again. The invisible pool of energy grew, soon creating so magnanimous a presence as to be felt by any living creature nearby.

"Let's finish him!" Tyrell yelled, sucking energy from the pool and unleashing it at Altarrin's burning mansion.

"Wait!" Shadow cried a moment too late. The mansion crumbled to pieces as the energy hit, leaving nothing but a burning ring of icy fire on the ground.

Everyone turned to look at Shadow, cutting off the flow of energy from their respective Spheres. "Why?" Solana asked.

Before Shadow could answer, Altarrin shot up from the ground, carrying in his hands an unconscious figure. Shadow smiled with relief as Altarrin landed next to a dark stream and put Lloyd down. "Never mind. Let's get this job done," Shadow said with a steady voice, adding more Dark energy to the pool.

The other rulers did the same, drawing as much energy as they could and adding it to the pool. Each ruler filled themselves with this mix of energy and prepared for Altarrin's assault. "We'll end this today!" Sigma cried as he turned to Altarrin.

* * *

Eriol laid Sakura down in Shadow's castle. He started back over to his room, leaving Sakura sleeping peacefully by herself.

Suddenly, Sakura sat up in her bed and looked around. "Eriol? Where am I?"

"You're safe now. We rescued you from Altarrin," Eriol said as Kero and Yue appeared in the doorway.

"Sakura! Are you ok?" Kero yelled, landing on Sakura's bed.

"I think so," Sakura said, unable to remember exactly what had knocked her out. _Let's see… I was in the bathroom and… Altarrin appeared, yelling at me for being loud. Then… Then what?_ _Oh!_ "Where's Li?" Sakura asked frantically.

"I don't know. We left after saving you, but Candice, the Fire ruler, Solana, the Wind ruler, and Abner, the Light ruler, went after them. They should be safe," Eriol said in quiet voice.

Sakura sighed, relieved. "But where's Shadow? Where is everyone?"

"They're still fighting Altarrin. They wanted to finish him off," Eriol explained.

"You have to take me back to them!" Sakura said, staggering out of bed.

"Sakura, you can't go! You don't have enough strength!" Kero yelled, grabbing Sakura's hand.

"No! I have to see them!" Sakura yelled, pulling her hand away from Kero and staggering to the door. A moment later, she fell to the ground.

"Kero's right," Yue said soothingly. "You need to rest. We'll go back and bring them here."

Eriol nodded when Sakura looked up at him. "Fine, I'll rest. Promise me they're ok."

"They'll be fine. I promise," Eriol said, stepping through the door. "Yue, you and Keroberos stay here to guard Sakura."

Kero and Yue nodded, helping Sakura back to her bed.

Eriol walked away from Sakura and met Ruby and Spinel as he left the castle. "How's Sakura?" they asked together.

"She's awake. I had Keroberos and Yue look after her. She wanted me to bring her friends to her. Let's go get them," Eriol said.

Ruby and Spinel followed their master as he walked back towards the battle. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived and saw a heavily armored Altarrin floating in the air with a large barrier around him.

Li lay on the floor, leaning against a tree with Meiling and Tomoyo close by. Eriol quickly walked over to see if they were ok, and decided to help the group. "Ruby, you and Spinel set up some shields. I'll see what I can do."

"Eriol!" Sigma cried, noticing Eriol.

"What can I do to help?" Eriol asked.

"Not much. Try adding some of your magic to this pool. Maybe it will help," Sigma said, pulling an enormous amount of energy from the pool all the while adding Earth to it. He hurled the mixture of energy at the ground in front of Altarrin, creating a large volcano spewing lava and hot soot at Altarrin.

"Fools! You cannot defeat me! I am all-powerful!" Altarrin cried, hovering in the smoke and soot.

Eriol stepped up to the invisible pool of energy and released his staff, trying to add his own magical powers to the pool.

"Stop!" Shadow cried as Eriol started channeling his magical powers into the pool. "We can't mix these energies like this. If you want to help, strengthen my Cards for me, but you can't add your power to ours, not like that, at least."

Eriol nodded and surrounded Shadow's Cards in Clow's ancient magic, strengthening them as much as he could. "Good luck," Eriol said as Shadow flew back into the sky to face Altarrin.

Shadow approached Altarrin, taking out three Cards as he did so. "Watery! Freeze! Windy!" he cried, infusing all three of them with a mixture of energy he pulled from the pool. The Cards sprang with devastating force towards Altarrin, creating a frozen cyclone of water around Altarrin and encaging him.

A moment later, Altarrin shattered the ice. "Extalidor!" he yelled, and a large, black pegasus approached him. He mounted it and thrust out his hand, creating a large ball of energy in one hand and hurling it towards the sky.

The ball of energy exploded ten feet above Altarrin and created large, swirling clouds. From the center of the cloud, creatures of all shapes and sizes appeared, some landing on the ground, while others flew through the air. "You will fall against me!" Altarrin yelled from atop his pegasus.

The rulers gaped at the creatures appearing everywhere. Quickly, they poured more energy into their pool and pulled out large amounts of the mixed energy. They hurled their energy at the creatures, each bolt destroying the creatures as quickly as they appeared.

"You can't win! I have an infinite number of creatures!" Altarrin cried, forming a large sword in his hand. He reined his pegasus towards Shadow and slashed wildly in front of him. Shadow dodged, escaping the sharp edged whip by no more than a hairsbreadth.

Shadow jumped out of the way and landed next to the other rulers. "We can't just fight like this. There has to be a better way," Shadow said. "Anyone have an idea?"

"I do," Candice said with a fiery aura around her. "We stand and fight! Some of us aren't cowards!"

"I'd rather be an intelligent coward and live than be a mindless hero and die. We _can't_ win. We have to regroup," Shadow said.

"Shadow's right, Candice," Abner said from behind the two of them. "We can't win against all of these. The best we can do is defend ourselves. We should try to get back to Shadow's castle."

Grudgingly, Candice nodded and let Abner lead her away. She shot a hateful look at Shadow and pulled her hand away from Abner. Shadow stared after her and motioned for the rest of the rulers to follow.

"Eriol, can I get Spinel to help carry Tomoyo?" Sigma asked, picking up Li. Eriol nodded and led Spinel over to Tomoyo, gently securing the unconscious girl onto Spinel's back. Abner walked over to Elaine and picked her up as Matriana helped Meiling.

"Alright, let's go," Shadow said. "Stick together. We have to keep this shield up."

Hordes of monsters followed the quickly moving rulers. Suddenly, creatures began to appear in front of them. The rulers unleashed different stored up energies, causing the creatures to sink into the floor, burst into flame, be swept up in a gust of wind, be struck by thunder, or destroyed by any other explosive methods. The party continued towards Shadow's castle, running frantically to reach it before the creatures.

The outline of Shadow's castle loomed in the distance, barely distinguishable. Flying creatures circled it as land based creatures beat on the door. Shadow pulled a large amount of energy from the Dark Sphere, infusing his Cards with it yet again. "Fiery!" he yelled.

Fiery sprang from its Card. It struck each of the creatures, disintegrating them on contact. "Let's go!" Shadow cried as Fiery returned to its Card.

The ten of them, along with Li, Meiling, Elaine, and Tomoyo, darted through the opening double doors to the castle. As soon as everyone was inside, Shadow slammed the door shut and pulled more energy from his Power Sphere. "Lock!" he yelled.

"Let's get everybody settled. Then we can go to my library and do some research. Maybe there's some easier way to defeat Altarrin."

Every conscious person nodded grimly, feeling rather defeated. A moment later, Sakura came down the stairs. "What's wrong? Isn't everyone safe?" she asked as she picked up the group's sullen aura.

"We need to find some way to defeat Altarrin. I'll let Sigma explain to you the history of the Realms. In the meantime, I'm going to find everyone a room. Would any of you like something to eat or drink?" Shadow asked.

"I'll have some tea," Abner said, taking a seat. "Would anyone like to join me?"

Solana, Candice, Eriol, Sigma, Matriana and Tyrell all nodded, taking their seats and setting down the people they were carrying, if any. Shadow went to get some tea. He returned with a large teapot and thirteen teacups. "Sakura, are you going to have tea with us?"

"But, Shadow, what about Li? Aren't you going to wake them up?" Sakura asked, motioning to her unconscious friends.

"They'll wake up in a bit. Do you want some tea?"

"Sure. Thank you, Shadow," Sakura said, sitting down at the table. Shadow poured nine cups of tea for the nine of them. A moment later, Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling woke up with a groan.

"Wh-where am I?" Li asked, opening his eyes and still seeing very little. Shadow lit the candles in the room with a flick of his wrist and walked over to Li.

"You're safe now. I'm Shadow, pleased to meet you," Shadow said, offering Li his hand.

Li took Shadow's hand and got up drowsily. "What happened? We were looking for you castle when… Tomoyo, are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Tomoyo said, smiling cheerily as Eriol offered a helping hand.

"Last thing I remember, your body was taken over by someone and you started attacking me and Elaine. After that, you called some name and a black flying horse appeared, knocking me out after I got on it."

Tomoyo stared at Li for a while, not sure exactly what he was talking about. "I'm sorry, Li."

"It's ok, you didn't mean it. Meiling!" Li cried, suddenly noticing his cousin waking up on the couch.

"Good morning, Li. What's going on?"

"You were brainwashed by Altarrin and started attacking me," Sigma said, coming into the room. "Then, you ran off and we found you held prisoner by Altarrin."

"What? Where are we now?"

"We're in Shadow's castle, where we wanted to go," Tomoyo said.

Just then, Elaine woke up and stared at the strangers in the room. "What are you doing here? Where am I? Who are you?" she asked.

"Good to see you again, Elaine," Abner said from behind her.

"Aaaaahhh!" Elaine screamed, turning towards her father's voice. "H-how did you find me?"

"You, along with as these three, were taken prisoner by Altarrin. I assume you came here to run away from me," Abner said.

"I-I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to… to be disappointed in me, so I came here to test my strength. When I realized I wasn't strong enough, I couldn't find the Portal to return. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I'm just glad you're safe. Now, let's have some tea."

The four, newly awakened guests walked into the dining room and sat around the table, each with a cup of tea already poured for them. "We'll give you a thorough explanation when we've all had something to eat," Shadow said, going to the kitchen. "Are there any requests for dinner?"

Everyone shouted their requests at Shadow who carefully took mental notes of what each person wanted. "Make sure you don't poison it!" Candice yelled as Shadow disappeared into the kitchen. A second later, the candles in the kitchen flickered on and the group could hear the sounds of cooking.

"Well, while he's cooking, let's have a conversation," Abner said.

The twelve of them talked cheerfully, breaking off into separate conversations. Sakura, Li, Tomoyo, Meiling, Sigma, and Elaine all talked together, jumping from the history of the Realms, to other topics, each provoked by a new question, while the rest of them discussed plans of attack.

"I'm glad everyone is getting along," Shadow said with a large tray in his hands. "But we really should start eating before the food gets cold."

Everyone turned to look at Shadow. When they saw the beautifully prepared food he held, they smiled and made way for him. They each muttered a 'thank you' as what they ordered was set in front of them and began to eat.

"You made this?" Sigma asked after he took a bite. "This is absolutely incredible!"

"Thank you," Shadow said as he finished serving everyone.

"Shadow, why did you give me your Anti-ring?" Sakura asked, having been told the Realms' history before dinner.

"You needed it. Keep it until I ask for it again."

"So, does anyone have any ideas about Altarrin?" Tyrell asked.

"We can check my library when we've finished eating. I'm sure there's some information about the Summoner in there," Shadow replied, finishing his meal and heading towards the kitchen to clean up. "When you're done with your meal, put the dishes in the sink. I'll be in the library. It's near the entrance."

* * *

After Shadow disappeared, everyone quickly finished their food and headed for the library. Sakura went over to Li and smiled cheerfully. "I'm glad you're okay. Let's go help them."

"S-sure," Li said, blushing furiously.

"Tomoyo, you really should just leave them alone," Meiling whispered from behind Tomoyo as she saw the camera in her hands..

"It's more fun this way. Sakura will thank me for it later," Tomoyo replied, quietly following Sakura.

The four of them walked into the library and found Shadow sitting at a table with a large book. "Hello, Sakura. Are you done eating?"

"I'm done. Thank you for the food, Shadow," she said. "Is there any way we can help?"

"You can search through the books on the shelves if you'd like," Shadow said, motioning to the many tall shelves in the library. "If you find anything, let me know."

Sakura stared at the books for a while, unsure how to help. Li walked over to a shelf and took from it a small book entitled, _The Days of Dread_. He quickly scanned through the book and decided that it had nothing to do with the war.

"After you've looked at a book, put it in a pile somewhere and look at a different one," Shadow instructed without looking up from his reading.

Sakura went over to help Li. She found a book called _Powers at Play_ and searched through it for information. The only reference to the war in the book told her nothing that she did not already know. She set the book aside and took another from the shelf.

A few minutes later, the rest of the rulers walked in and started searching through books without a word. Eriol followed after them, along with Kero, Yue, Suppi, and Nakuru, in her false form for once. Elaine came in a while later and quietly whispered something to her father before leaving again.

"Ok, I think we can stop for today. It's getting late," Shadow said after a couple hours when a few large stacks of books covered the tables in the library. "Let's put those books against the wall somewhere. We don't want them to get mixed up with books we haven't looked at yet."

Everyone went over to the stacks and grabbed some books, placing them against the only bare wall in the library. When they were done, Shadow got up and led them all to their rooms.

Li and Eriol shared a room, while Sakura, Tomoyo, and Meiling shared a room across from them. Yue and Kero had a room next to Sakura's and Eriol's guardians shared a room across the hall. The rulers each had their own rooms in a different wing of the castle. After Shadow saw them all to their rooms, he walked downstairs and disappeared into a dark hallway.

"Sakura," Meiling said. "Shadow never really hurt you, did he?"

"No, he never really hurt me. Sometimes he'll get mad at me, but I never got too hurt. I think Shadow's pretty nice."

"That's good. He's a great cook. I hope we go home soon," Meiling said, dozing off.

"Good night, Meiling. Good night, Tomoyo," Sakura said as she let herself fall asleep.

"Good night, Sakura," Tomoyo said, falling asleep as well.

* * *

The next morning the three of them woke up from a peaceful sleep. They found their way to the dimly lit dining room and met Shadow, preparing pancakes for everyone. "Good morning," he said when they approached.

"Good morning," they each replied.

"Why are you awake so early? You usually sleep in, Sakura."

Sakura had no answer for him and so, kept quiet. "Is this our breakfast?" she asked after a while.

"It's part of it. Bacon and eggs are on the way. You can start eating if you're hungry," Shadow said, disappearing into the kitchen.

Sakura, Tomoyo, and Meiling sat down at the table to start their breakfast. Partway through the first pancake, Li and Eriol arrived with Kero and Suppi. "Good morning, Li," Sakura said. "Good morning, Eriol, Spinel, Kero."

"Good morning, Sakura," Kero replied, finding a plate of pancakes and pouring for himself a large amount of sugary maple syrup.

Li sat down next to Sakura and poured some syrup on his pancakes as the rulers began to stream into the dining room. Sigma came first, grumbling about the Realm's darkness, followed by Abner and Elaine. A little while afterwards, Candice and Matriana came, talking like old friends. At that time, Shadow came out with dishes of bacon and eggs and was greeted by a contemptuous look by Candice.

"Enjoy your breakfast," he said, stepping into the darkness and disappearing from sight.

"I really don't like him," Candice said as Tyrell and Solana came in, discussing some plans they had thought up in the night.

"But you know that won't work. There's absolutely no way we can just attack him like that. I still say we lure him into a trap," Tyrell said.

"That won't work either. He's too smart for that. I'm sure we can just attack him. After all, that's what we did with the Spirits that he summoned, right?"

"I don't know. I wasn't very old then," Tyrell replied.

"I'm pretty sure that's what we did," Solana said insistently.

Sakura finished her breakfast and put her plates in the sink. _Well, I guess I should head back to the library to help Shadow. I bet that's where he went._

"Sakura," Li said, coming into the kitchen.

"Yes?" Sakura asked, smiling at Li.

"I… You… umm…"

"What is it?" Sakura asked, a little concerned.

"I…"

"Hey, kid! Get out of the way!" Kero yelled with his dishes. "That was a good breakfast, wasn't it?" he said to Sakura.

"Yes. We should go thank Shadow," Sakura said smiling. "Let's go see if he's in the library. Do you want to come, Li?"

"Ok," he said, following behind Sakura and Kero.

"Sakura, we need to find a way to get back home. We can't just stay here forever."

"But we can't just leave. We should help Shadow and the other rulers beat Altarrin first. Besides, if we don't beat Altarrin, we can't get out of the castle anyways."

"Fine, we can take some time to help them. Be careful though. Shadow has an odd aura around him. It seems familiar somehow."

"I thought so too, but I think it might just be his weird Clow Cards. Kero, did you know there were other Clow Cards?"

"There aren't other Clow Cards. I don't know where he got them, but I know that Clow didn't make them," Kero replied. "Hey kid, do you have any idea where these other Cards are coming from?"

"No, I don't. I've never heard anything about a different type of Clow Card. The only ones I have any knowledge of are the ones that Sakura has. It seems like Shadow has exactly the same thing, but a little different. And I agree, he does have an odd aura around him. I feel… I'm not sure exactly how. It's not just familiar. It's more like I know him very well. I don't know how to explain it," Li explained.

"Kero, when I asked him where he got his cards, he said that he got half of them the same way I got them, and the other half he got from me. Does that make any sense to you?"

"Have you ever met him before?" Kero asked suspiciously.

"No, I haven't. But his aura does still feel very familiar. Is it possible that someone copied the Clow Cards and gave them to him?"

"I really don't think so. The only person that could copy the Clow Cards would be Clow himself. You could probably make copies of the Sakura Cards that you have, but it would take a lot of magic, and I don't think that you have enough to copy all of them," Kero replied.

The three of them arrived at the library and stepped inside to find Shadow sitting at a table and searching through another large book. "Good morning, Keroberos," Shadow greeted when they entered.

"Thank you for the meal," Sakura said with a cheerful smile. "Can we help you search again?"

"Sure, go ahead. Just remember to put the books that you've looked through in the pile. If you find any that you think could help, just leave it on one of the tables."

Sakura and Li walked over to a shelf and started looking through books. Meanwhile, Kero floated over to Shadow and stared at him for a while.

"What's wrong, Keroberos? What do you feel from me?" Shadow asked in a quiet, low voice.

"Who are you?" Kero asked, not taking his eyes away from Shadow.

"I am Shadow, the ruler of this Realm. You know that by now, Keroberos."

Kero continued to stare at Shadow for a while before floating out the door and back to his room. Shadow glanced after him as he left and returned to his book, searching through it again for information on the Summoner.

* * *

Well, that's this chapter. Things will be drawing to a close soon (we hope). Here's something to think about.

Li's back with Sakura! Well, that makes things more interesting and puts this back into the 'romance' category.

Remember that the castle is still under attack. If you're wondering why they can't just attack through it, remember what happened in the Lock Card episode. Meiling couldn't break out through the window. Also, Shadow did strengthen Lock with his magic, so…

Hmm… I wonder what they will find in the books, if anything.

Why did Kero stare at Shadow like that? Where is he going now? How confusing…

Ok, that's all for now. I hope someone solves my challenge. More is being revealed!

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	16. The Prophecy

Author's Note(A/N): Ok, this chapter was late. I'm sorry, I hope the next one will be on time.

Previously:

Sakura was rescued from Altarrin along with Li and everyone else that was held prisoner. Then, Altarrin's mansion is burned down by Candice and he summons tons and tons of creatures to destroy them. Shadow takes them and uses The Lock to keep the creatures out of the castle and they look through his library for stuff on defeating Altarrin. Now, the chapter:

**Chapter 16: The Prophecy**

"Shadow, come look at this," Abner said, looking through a large encyclopedia of ancient mythology.

"What is it?" Shadow asked as he walked over to where Abner was standing.

"There seems to be something here about a horde of monsters that was commanded fifteen hundred years ago by an ancient king. It says that the king wielded powers unknown to most men and they cowered in fear before him. I wonder if this has anything to do with Altarrin," Abner replied.

"Hmm… put it with the other books that we've found something in and let's call it a day. We should all go get some lunch."

"Alright," Abner said, setting the book down on a table and walking out of the library.

"Sakura," Shadow called. Sakura had fallen asleep, her head comfortably on top of her folded arms.

"Huh?" Sakura said drowsily. "What time is it?"

"It's almost time for lunch. Where did your friends Li and Tomoyo go?"

"I don't know. They may have left after I fell asleep. I'm sorry, I'm just a bit tired."

"It's ok. It's really not your fault. You've gone through quite a bit and you deserve your rest. Do you want me to bring you your lunch?" Shadow asked, smiling.

"Thanks Shadow. Umm… can I ask you a question?" Sakura asked, staring expectantly at Shadow.

"Sure."

"Do you know why Altarrin wants me?"

"I have no idea. I'll go get your lunch now," Shadow said, turning to walk out the door.

Sakura sat alone in the library for a while, still extremely sleepy. The previous night, she had had only four hours of sleep, thought peaceful. Ever since she had awoken, something kept irritating her. Something resonated in the back of her mind. She walked over to a book entitled _The Realms at War_ and began to read.

"Sakura!" came Tomoyo's cheery voice from the library door.

Sakura jerked awake. "T-Tomoyo?"

"Sakura, you should get some rest if you're that tired. What are you reading?"

"_The Realms at War_. I thought it would have something about Altarrin in it. Do you want to help me?" Sakura asked, turning to Tomoyo and giving her a warm smile.

"Sure," Tomoyo replied. Tomoyo pulled up a large, high-backed chair and proceeded to read alongside Sakura. The two friends continued working until Shadow arrived.

"Here you go, Sakura." Shadow put a large meal in front of Sakura and began to walk out.

"Thank you, Shadow," Sakura said, looking rather hungrily at the food in front of her. After Shadow left, Sakura took a bite of the food and mindlessly thumbed through a small book to her side.

Tomoyo continued to read through the large book. Minutes later, she stumbled across a folded piece of parchment, old and torn at the ends. She unfolded it and attempted to read the lines of symbols on it. A moment later, Sakura finished her lunch and rejoined Tomoyo.

"What's that?"

"I don't know. I just found it in the book. Do you understand any of these symbols?" Tomoyo replied.

"What symbols?" Shadow asked, suddenly in front of them.

The two girls leapt into the air. "These. I found them it in the book." Tomoyo handed Shadow the old, torn parchment.

Shadow took the parchment from Tomoyo and quickly scanned it. His eyes darted from side to side, and a worried frown crossed his face as he proceeded towards the end. "Sakura, I need to speak with you alone," Shadow said, walking out the door.

Sakura stared at Tomoyo hesitantly. Reluctantly, she followed Shadow out of the room. "Shadow? Where are you?"

"I'm right here!" Shadow called down the hallway near a candle. Sakura ran to catch up with Shadow. "Sakura, I don't know how to tell you this. You…"

"What does it say?" Sakura asked curiously.

"I'll read it to you," Shadow replied and began:

"_From the depths of the dark,  
__The Spiritmaker shall rise.  
__From the depths of the dark,  
__He shall find his eyes._

_From beyond the worlds,  
__There shall come forth our salvation.  
__From beyond the worlds,  
__Shall we alter our situation._

_From this savior shall come,  
__Fierce magic unknown.  
__From this savior shall come,  
__Our salvation alone._

_To prove the arrival,  
__Four signs shall be given.  
__To prove the arrival,  
__Find the Cards that are hidden."_

Sakura stared ahead blankly. "What does that have to do with me?" she finally asked.

"I'll write it out for you in a bit. Just make sure you're careful, okay?"

"Okay, I'll be careful. Is there anything else?" Sakura asked.

"No, that's all. I'll see you later. I have something I need to do," Shadow said, leading Sakura back to the library door.

Sakura walked in and found Tomoyo waiting for her. "What happened?" she asked as soon as Sakura appeared.

"He read what was on that piece of paper and told me to be careful. I'm not sure exactly what he means by it."

Tomoyo took Sakura's hand and gave it a warm squeeze before leading Sakura back into the library. The two friends returned to _The Realms at War_, and, about an hour later, Tomoyo left Sakura to finishe skimming through the book as Candice walked in, bickering loudly with Shadow.

"I see no reason to stay here! We've already rescued Sakura. Let me out!" Candice demanded.

"If I let you out, I'd be letting monsters in. Also, you'd be risking your own life just going out there. Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?"

"Why do you care? I'm leaving if I have to tear down your castle to do it!" Candice shouted, wrapping herself in the Fire Sphere's aura.

"Suit yourself," Shadow said. "I don't think you can get through my wall, but good luck." Shadow walked over to Sakura to see how she was doing. "Did you find anything else?"

"You're just going to ignore me? I'll set your entire castle on fire!" Candice yelled.

Suddenly, the candles throughout the castle burst into flames. Seconds later, Shadow took out The Freeze from his deck of Cards and yelled, "Freeze!" Freeze leapt from its Card and stopped all the fires, encasing the candles in large blocks of ice.

"Stop it!" Sakura yelled, getting between Shadow and Candice. "We don't need to fight! Altarrin's out there, going after us, and if we fight, we'll never win! We have to work together!"

Candice shot a heated glance at Shadow before turning her back on him with a loud "Humph!" and promptly stalked out of the library, leaving charred footprints in the wooden floor.

"So, Sakura, have you found anything?"

"I haven't found anything yet, Shadow. There was something in this book about a foreigner that was prophesized to come, wielding odd magic, and save the Realms from certain destruction. It said something about signs that would be given, but it wasn't clear what they were," Sakura said.

"Show me."

Sakura opened the book about halfway and showed Shadow what was written in the book.

"**_During the war, it was prophesized by the prophet Cassandra that the Spirits would rise once again under their master. The master, according to her, would be unstoppable and could only be brought onto the world with the help of one not of the Realms. Also, the same person would be the salvation of our precious Realms and without her, we would be without hope. More importantly, signs are to be given pointing to this foreigner. First, she would find rectangular tablets and conjure from them, with her unique magic, different beings. Second, she would wield learn to wield the Power of one of the Realms. Third, she would be united with someone that had lost her earlier in life, and fourth, she would fight the Spiritmaker."_**

"Well, that's interesting. You don't have any clue what it means, do you?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, but I'm sure it has something to do with me."

"I'll tell you more some other day. Right now, I have something else I need to do. I'll be back after a talk with Sigma."

"Ok, I'll see you later," Sakura replied, going back to her table. Sakura rested her head on the table, intent on resting for no more than a minute. Slowly, she fell into a deep, disturbed sleep.

* * *

Sakura awoke an hour later with a jolt, suddenly feeling an odd presence nearby. _What's that? It feels like… like a mixture of Eriol's magic and… Clow Cards…_ She quickly got up and ran to her room, the presence strengthening as she went. "Kero!" she cried as she stepped through the door.

"What is it?" Kero asked, flying into the room behind her.

"Do you feel it? There's this weird presence."

"I do, but I have no clue what it is. I've never felt it before. It's coming from above us," Kero replied, looking very concerned.

"Let's go," Sakura said, hurriedly releasing her staff. Sakura found some stairs leading to the next floor and went up them, Kero following behind. She climbed two more flights of stairs and still the presence was above her. "Kero, what do you feel?"

"It's weird. It seems to be a mix of Clow's magic and someone or something else's. I can't tell you much more than that," Kero said, frowning with worry.

Sakura kept silent, thought racing through her mind. _What is it?_ she wondered, still unable to make out exactly what the presence was. Sakura climbed the last flight of stairs, scrambled through a trap door, and found herself on the roof, surrounded by battlements. "Kero, look!" Sakura yelled.

In front of Sakura, two cards floated in the air. The closest was bordered with a gold pattern of delicately woven leaves and branches. The picture on this card was that of a person shrouded in a black cloak and hood. From under the hood, two bright, red twinkling eyes stared at Sakura. Above the picture, where the large star would be on a Sakura Card, there was a fine circle, drawn half-gold and half-silver. The Card had no name and floated next to another card which had the same symbols, the same delicate lace of leaves and branches, but in silver, and still lacking a name. The picture on this other card was a bright, wavering oval, seeming oddly fluid. The two cards shone brightly, chasing away the darkness which seemed to fight against the light.

"What are they?" Sakura asked Kero, not expecting an answer.

"I'm not sure. If they were made by Clow, he didn't do it alone," Kero replied, fascinated by the cards.

Sakura stepped forward, extending a hand to the two weird cards. She approached the golden one first, carefully taking it into her hands, and turned the card over, expecting to see a magic circle of sorts. On the back of the card was a large, silver oval, bordered by the same golden lace of leaves and branches. The rest of the rectangle comprised of seven different colors: red, brown, green, yellow, blue, black, and white, arranged in concentric oval bands. Golden lines sprawled across the silver oval, forming an intricate design which included a seven pointed star. Each point of the star ended in a golden leaf which smoothly flowed into the leaves and branches design surrounding the circle.

Sakura took a step towards the other card, holding her hand out for it to gently float down into it. She turned this card around as well and saw the same design, but with inverted colors. A golden oval with silver lace, bordered by the same ovals, but in reverse order. Sakura stared at the two cards for a long while, turning them over and over in her hands. Kero landed on her shoulder and the two of them attempted to make sense of these mysterious cards.

"What could they be?" Sakura asked herself aloud. "It's like in my dream, but more colorful. They must do _something_!" Frustrated, Sakura took out her deck of Sakura Cards and attempted to put the two new cards with them. A few inches away, an almost magnetic force repelled the two new cards, pushing them a few inches away. Sakura put her Cards away, went back to the other two cards, perplexed, and picked them up off the floor.

"Be careful, Sakura. I feel a strong presence from those cards, whatever they are," Kero cautioned, floating warily towards the cards. As Kero approached, the cards emitted a potent, golden aura, forcefully thrusting Kero back into the nearest battlement.

"Kero!" Sakura yelled, putting the cards in her pocket and running towards the small bear.

"Owww," Kero moaned, rubbing the back of his head. "It seems like they don't like anything Clow-made. Make sure you're careful around them. I don't think either me or Yue could help you if they decided to hurt you," Kero said, still frowning worriedly.

Sakura nodded and picked Kero up off the floor. "Let's go," she said, walking back through the trap door and down the stairs. Kero followed after her, floating through the air and rubbing the back of his head. Suddenly, Sakura stopped walking and turned to Kero. "Kero, Shadow used the Lock Card to keep the monsters out," Sakura said suddenly worried.

"Sakura, look out!" Kero yelled, changing forms to protect Sakura as a black pegasus flew up the stairs at her.

"Aaaaaahhh!" Sakura screamed, ducking beneath Keroberos as he unleashed a stream of fire at the pegasus. Behind the pegasus, a man clad in black armor appeared, thrusting out a hand and forming a shield around his pegasus.

"Good, you found them," Altarrin said, advancing towards Sakura. "You are coming with me!" Altarrin waved his hand through the air and sent Keroberos flying through the stone wall and out of the castle.

"Kero!" Sakura yelled as Altarrin grabbed her and set her on the pegasus.

Suddenly, Shadow appeared behind Altarrin and sliced at him with his sword. Altarrin turned and saw the sword just as it penetrated his armor, leaving a deep gash and drawing blood.

"Aaaarrgh!" Altarrin screamed. "You will pay for that!"

Shadow quickly grabbed Sakura and took her down the stairs, dodging and slashing at monsters as he did so.

"We have to save Kero!" Sakura said, running behind Shadow.

"We'll get to him later!" Shadow yelled, pulling Sakura along behind him.

The two of them arrived at the bottom of the stairs and immediately Li rushed over to Sakura. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Where's Tomoyo and Meiling?"

"Shadow used Shield on them. Why didn't you tell me he had Clow Cards?" Li asked, looking around warily.

"I don't understand why he has Clow Cards, and I didn't want to worry you. Li, take me to Meiling and Tomoyo."

"Ok," Li said, leading Sakura through a series of hallways before arriving in a small room where Meiling and Tomoyo were sitting, surrounded by Shield's protective bubble.

"Sakura! Are you ok?" Tomoyo and Meiling asked when they saw her.

"I'm fine, are you?" Sakura replied, stepping into the bubble. Suddenly, the bubble disappeared and hordes of monsters appeared in the doorway. Li took out his sword and called on lightning to drive them back. Sakura recited her incantation to release her staff. "Release!" she yelled, expecting her staff to appear before her. She looked down into her palm and realized that she still held the Star Key and not a staff. "What's going on?" she asked herself aloud. "Release!"

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Li asked, looking over his shoulder as he called on his fire.

"I can't release my staff!" Sakura yelled.

The monsters broke through the door and grabbed Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling. "Let me go!" Meiling yelled, kicking and screaming at the monsters.

"Never!" the _sphienent_ carrying Meiling hissed, binding her feet together with one of its tentacles. Li turned to look at Meiling, hoping to help her in someway. Monsters rushed through the doorway, grabbing Tomoyo and knocking her out. A larger group approached Li, lashing at him with their various weapons, grabbing him, and knocking him out as well. The group of monsters surrounded Sakura, as if waiting for someone or something to come take her.

"You won't escape me this time!" a voice hissed from the doorway. Altarrin stepped into view, his right arm still gushing blood. He put his left arm on Sakura's shoulder, and squeezed, causing Sakura to convulse and lose consciousness. Pulling her onto his pegasus forcefully, he yelled, "Extalidor! Fly!" and took off down the hallway, his monsters following behind. "Leave the others, we have what we came for!" Altarrin said to the monsters behind him.

The three monsters carrying Li, Tomoyo, and Meiling threw them back into the room, knocking Meiling out.

Altarrin flew out a window, carrying Sakura, face down across his pegasus, with him and cackling evilly. "You're mine now! When I get through with you, you'll wish you were dead!"

Sakura slowly regained consciousness and stared up into Altarrin's helmeted face. Two dark, soulless eyes gazed back into hers, sending shivers down her spine. Sakura turned her head back down, searching the ground for Kero. She found him, lying motionless twenty feet from the castle and began to cry. "What do you want with me?" Sakura asked, not expecting an answer.

"You'll find out soon enough!"

* * *

"Li, wake up!" Tomoyo yelled, shaking Li.

Li slowly woke up, rubbing his head and checking for blood. "Oww," he complained, taking his hand away from his head and finding no blood. "Where's Sakura?" Li asked frantically as he remembered what had happened.

"They took her," Meiling replied. "Then they threw us back in here and left. That's the last I remember."

"We have to save her!" Li yelled, suddenly on his feet.

"Li, calm down. We don't even know where she is," Tomoyo said.

"Is everyone okay?" Shadow asked from the door, walking in.

"We're all fine, but Sakura's been captured! We have to go find her!"

"Li, I want to find her as much as you do, maybe even more, but we can't just rush into this. We have to regroup before we can do anything," Shadow replied, offering his hand to Li.

"Fine, but I'm not waiting long. Where's everyone else?"

"They're around somewhere. We'll have to look for then before we do anything else."

The three of them followed Shadow out of the room, searching for the rest of the rulers that had hopefully survived the assault.

"Shadow, why do you have Clow Cards?" Li asked, unable to remain quiet any longer.

"You'll find out someday. Probably the same day Sakura finds out," Shadow replied.

Li walked quietly behind Shadow, thinking of all the different possibilities that would allow for Shadow's Clow Cards to exist. After a few minutes, they came upon Solana, riding Zephyr.

"Shadow, come help! Abner's stuck!" she yelled as they approached.

Shadow walked over to Solana and saw Abner trapped between two pillars of stone that were, at one point, structural supports for the castle. Shadow continued to stare for awhile before deciding on the best way to get Abner out without causing the entire castle to collapse.

"Don't just stand there!" Candice called from behind Abner.

"Hello Candice. I didn't see you there," Shadow said, pulling at the Dark energy that flowed through the Realm. He allowed a trickle of it to lift the pillar next to Abner, allowing Solana to help him up before Shadow replaced the pillar.

"Well, that's three of you. Counting me, we have four of the rulers. Has anyone seen Eriol? I left Keroberos with Yue after getting him inside again, not that you can really call this inside anymore," Shadow said, staring up at the hole in the ceiling. "But I have no idea where Spinel and Ruby are."

"No, I haven't seen him," Solana replied, setting Abner down on a couch nearby. "What about Sigma, and Tyrell? I saw Matriana fighting some monsters during the raid. She was over there and doing pretty well, so I'm sure she won't be too hard to find. Are we missing anyone else?"

"Well, we're obviously missing Sakura," Sigma said, supporting Tyrell as they walked through the front gate. "I saw Altarrin on his pegasus flying off with her. I guess we'll have to go rescue her again. Is there any reason why he would want her?"

"I think there's one," Eriol said, suddenly appearing from the direction of the library, followed by Ruby and Spinel.

"Wait, don't tell everyone until everyone is here," Shadow said. "I'll go look for Matriana."

"Why do you need to look for me?" Matriana asked from above them, gently floating down a pillar of water.

"I don't, now. Ok Eriol, I'm sure you found the note I was writing to Sakura and you probably read the book that I left it on too."

"I did. I think that Sakura is the legendary 'savior of the Realms.' It seems that during your previous war, a prophet, named Cassandra, prophesized that the creator of the Spirits would rise again. She also said that someone from another world would be the savior of the Realms and only through this person could the Realms be saved. What's confusing, however, is it said that the savior would also be the cause of the despair. Also, four signs are to be given. First, she is to find rectangular tablets that she'd be able to conjure strange beings from. Second, she would learn to wield one of the Realms' energies. Third, she would find someone that had lost her earlier in their life, and fourth, she would fight the 'Spiritmaker.'"

"Yes, that's what the prophecies said. If you don't believe him, or me for that matter, it's in the book _The Realms at War_. Anyhow, I also believe that Sakura is the prophesized foreign savior. Now that we're all here, let's follow after Sakura. I left a tracking device of sorts on Altarrin's pegasus and he shouldn't notice it. Does anyone object to this course of action?"

"No, we don't, but there is one small, important thing you forgot to mention. SOME OF US ARE INJURED!" Candice yelled, motioning to Abner and Tyrell.

"It won't take much to follow Sakura. Besides, I'm sure our wonderful Earth ruler with his wonderful herbs can mend their wounds in no time," Shadow replied, unfazed.

The eleven of them, along with Eriol's guardians, set off to find Yue and Kero. They split into groups of two, excluding Sigma who went back to his Realm to gather herbs, and began to rummage through the castle to find anything that may prove useful on their journey. Tomoyo worked with Meiling, pulling her along to find Kero while Li and Shadow worked together. Eriol and Candice went to the rulers' rooms to look for supplies and Abner stayed on the couch with Tyrell, talking about what they might do to pay Altarrin back when they found him again. Solana and Matriana worked together to find food for the party on their journey after Sakura and Altarrin.

An hour later, they all met back by the main gate and made sure that they had a large supply of everything. Sigma came back with a backpack full of herbs and began mixing different herbs together to mend wounds. Seconds later, Elaine came down the stairs to speak with Abner.

"Elaine, you have to go home. I'll be back soon," Abner said, hugging his child as she left for the Portal.

After another thirty minutes of rest, Shadow called them all to get ready to find Sakura. Shadow took out The Little and shrunk all the supplies, neatly packaging them into a tiny box. "Well, let's go," Shadow said, giving each person a small box with supplies in it.

The large group set off, Solana riding Zephyr and everyone else walking. They all turned to Shadow who used energy from the Dark Realm to create a beam of energy, leading them straight to Sakura.

"Shadow, won't Altarrin notice the large beam of Dark energy?" Solana asked as she realized what he was doing.

"Not until we're right up beside him. The energy beam doesn't go too far. By then, I'll know and we'll be ready. There's just one thing I need to ask of you. We all have to be on our guard. If not, we may not get out alive."

They all turned to him and nodded determinedly, ready to save Sakura. _I _will_ save you Sakura. I know I will!_ Li thought, right behind Shadow as they set out after Sakura.

* * *

Alright, this was an interesting chapter. So much for there only being a few chapters left. I don't expect to randomly go to the next fic in the series in the middle of a giant battle, so it may be a while. Thoughts for you to ponder:

Shadow claims that he might want to find Sakura more than even Li. Is this even possible?

The prophecy says that Sakura will use the new cards, but obviously the cards don't want to cooperate with her. I wonder how that will work…

The prophecy also states that Sakura will find someone that had lost her earlier in life. Hmmm… Who could that be…?

Challenge again:

Challenge to the readers: Here is a challenge for all you mystery fans: What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	17. More Prophecies

Author's Note (A/N): Another late chapter. Apologies at the end.

Previously:

A prophecy is revealed. Later, Sakura finds her way up to the roof of Shadow's castle. There, she finds glowing cards, one silver, one gold, that seem to dislike Kero. Anyhow, she gets captured by Altarrin, again, and now the gang goes to hopefully save her.

**Chapter 17: More Prophecies**

"Li, there's no use in worrying about Sakura. We'll find her soon. Altarrin's only about a mile off now," Shadow said, attempting to comfort Li.

"I know. I'm sure she'll be ok," Li replied.

The rulers, Li, and the rest of the group continued on, not saying much else until Shadow suddenly stopped them.

"We're very close now. He hasn't moved for the past hour or so. He should be in that forest, over there," Shadow said, pointing to a dark forest in front of them. "If we're going to do anything, we'll have to quietly sneak up on him. I'll go first, followed by Li. The rest of you come quietly after me and be prepared to attack him with everything you have. Make sure you hide your presence from him," Shadow whispered, motioning for Li to follow him as he quietly stepped into the forest.

The giant trees of the forest surrounded them and dead twigs and leaves lay on the ground, crunching as they walked. Slowly, quietly, they made their way closer to Altarrin until they heard someone speaking in a quiet voice.

"But Altarrin, we can't just do that now. You remember, we have to wait until the Spirit's Rings all align before we can continue with the ceremony. The only one that we're missing is the Dark Spirit's Ring," the voice said quietly.

"I know that, Lloyd, but I don't know where the ring is!" Altarrin shouted, annoyed at not being able to locate the Dark Ring. "I know we have to find it and bring it here with the rest of them, but we should do what we have to first!"

"I still say we should strictly follow the procedures. Otherwise, we may not get what we want," Lloyd replied.

"Fine, you find the Ring. When you do, bring it to me. If only we had the Anti-ring. Then we could use it to locate the other one. We should pay Shadow a visit."

Shadow turned around to look at everyone else, motioning for them to stay put. He quietly moved up into a tree to get a better view of the scene, with Li following.

Lloyd and Altarrin sat in the middle of a large clearing, silent now. Sakura lay at the base of tree on the far side of the clearing, unconscious. Quietly, Shadow cast a spell, delicately constructed to hide its presence from Altarrin, and floated through the air around the clearing. He made it to Sakura and quietly moved her away.

"Lloyd! We're being attacked!" Altarrin yelled, noticing Shadow and forming a long, slender whip in his hands. Crescents of energy made their way towards Shadow. Quickly, he took out Shield and tried to use it. A shield flickered around Shadow for an instant and was destroyed as the first crescent collided with it.

"Attack!" Shadow yelled, hoping everyone would understand his command.

The rulers hurriedly rushed out from the trees and unleashed torrents of energy at Altarrin, pinning him to the ground. Immediately, Shadow grabbed Sakura and pulled her out of the way before a second crescent collided with where they were.

"Let me go!" Lloyd yelled as he too was pinned to the ground by the rulers.

"You will not win so easily!" Altarrin yelled, breaking free of the magical energies that held him and dashing straight towards Sakura.

Shadow turned just in time and formed a protective shield of Dark energy around him. The recoil from Shadow's shield threw Altarrin backwards.

"Fine!" Altarrin yelled, forming a large bolt of energy and hurling it at the sky. Creatures rained down around them, ready to attack at a moment's notice, ready to destroy them to please their master. "Take Sakura from them!" Altarrin commanded.

"Sakura, you have to wake up now!" Shadow yelled, creating multiple layers of his Dark powered shield around him and Sakura.

Creatures swarmed towards Shadow, attacking his shield, determined to be the one that would bring back Sakura.

"Sh-Shadow?" Sakura asked drowsily. Sakura slowly returned to consciousness and groggily surveyed the land around her.

"Shadow!" Tyrell yelled, sending a large bolt of electricity at the monsters closest to him. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, where's everyone else?"

"They're coming, Matriana is doing the best she can getting through the monsters. Sigma's helping her, while the rest are up with Solana finding a way in."

"How did you get here?" Shadow asked, unleashing bolts of Dark energy that disintegrated whatever enemies it came in contact with.

"My father taught me how to teleport short distances right before he died. He told me never to use it unless I absolutely had to because more than half of the time it kills the person. I had to help," Tyrell said. "Let's pool our magic and get rid of these."

Shadow and Tyrell created a small pool of their magic and pulled from it. Shadow immediately used the mixture of magic to create stronger layers of shields around the three of them while attempting to destroy whatever monsters were nearest him. By now, thousands of monsters, both flying and on the ground, surrounded them.

"Give me Sakura!" Altarrin commanded, hovering nearby.

"You'll have to take her from me if you want her!" Shadow yelled, sending a bolt of Dark and Lightning energy at Altarrin who swiftly dodged it.

Monsters continued to rain from the sky, landing around Shadow, Tyrell and Sakura.

"Shadow, what's going on?" Sakura asked, suddenly realizing that she was standing in the middle of a group of monsters with only Shadow and Tyrell nearby.

"You were captured and we came after you!" Shadow yelled, raising his voice above the screams of the monsters as they broke through the first layer of his shield. "Sakura, I need your help! You have to try something against these monsters! For some reason, my Cards aren't working!"

"But I can't release my staff! I tried to when we were back in your castle, and it didn't work," Sakura replied, unsure how else she could help Shadow.

"Was that the first time that your staff hasn't released?"

"I think that was the first since I arrived. It's happened before, but that was when I was changing the Clow Cards to Sakura Cards."

"Try again!" Shadow yelled, exhausted from the enormous amount of spells he had been casting.

Shadow stopped casting spells for a while and did nothing else but let Dark energy flow through him and into the pool for Tyrell to use. Meanwhile, Sakura took out her Star key and began her incantation. "Release!" she yelled at the end, but to no avail. The key, no matter how hard she tried, remained a key. "I don't know why this isn't working!" Sakura yelled, frantic. "Shadow, what should I do?"

"Think. Has anything different happened between the last time you used your cards and the first time your staff wouldn't release?"

Sakura fell to her knees, feeling a bit of pain in her head from being knocked out. "There is one thing. Right before Altarrin's monsters started attacking, I felt a strong presence, kinda like a Clow Card, on the roof of your castle. Kero and I went to investigate and we found these," Sakura said, taking out the two new cards as Tyrell continued to fend off the monsters. "Do you know what they are?"

"No, I've never seen anything like them before. They look… almost alive. I can feel something strong coming from them," Shadow said, taking one of the cards in his hands.

"Be careful," Sakura warned. "When Kero got near them, they started glowing gold and something flung him into a wall."

"I think this is why your staff isn't working. It's also probably why the shield I put up using Shield around your friends disappeared. These two cards seem to nullify Clow's magic, even though they seem to be partially made by him. I just wonder who the other person's magic is, and what it has to do with us."

"So, what am I going to do?"

"It seems like these two cards have chosen you as their mistress. If you don't find someway to control their magic, or use them, you may not get out of this alive. I'm sure you will find a way. You always do," Shadow replied.

"You're right. I'll find a way," Sakura said, determined to succeed.

Sakura closed her eyes, searching inside her for some solution to the problem as Shadow turned back to the battle around them. "Leave us alone!" Shadow shouted, sending waves of Dark energy out at the creatures, annihilating them where they stood. Still, more monsters appeared, taking the place of each monster destroyed and more.

"Shadow, what if I use the Anti-ring? Is there anyway I can access its powers?" Sakura asked suddenly.

"Try to!" Shadow yelled over the victory cries of the monsters as they broke another two layers of Shadow's shield. "Just concentrate on the Anti-ring and try to pull energy from it!" Shadow instructed, turning back to the monsters again.

Sakura closed her eyes and pictured clearly in her mind every detail of the Anti-ring. She concentrated on nothing but the ring in her hands, similar to what she would do to release her staff. Slowly, she felt a trickle of power coming from the Anti-ring and desperately tried to grasp it, hoping to divert the path of the stream into herself. After a few minutes, the tiny stream of energy grew and flowed into Sakura, filling her with Dark energy.

"Shadow, what do I do now that I have this energy inside me?" Sakura asked, completely unsure of what to do.

"I don't know what to tell you. Just find a way to unleash it. Try to use it on something like you would use your natural magic," Shadow replied, still fending off enemies and becoming rather fatigued.

"You can't keep this up forever!" Altarrin yelled from outside the ring of enemies. "However, I have an infinite source of creatures!"

Sakura closed her eyes again, severing the connection between her and the Anti-ring and working only with the Dark energy inside her. She gathered all the energy into one place and shot it at the nearest enemy, causing it to step back in confusion.

"Try using more of it!" Shadow yelled as the enemies screamed in outrage.

Sakura turned back to the Anti-ring and repeated the process she had used before, pulling a torrent of energy from it. Holding on to the energy, she severed her connection with the Anti-ring again and shot a ball of Dark energy at another creature. This time, the creature received a deep gash across its chest as the energy hit and howled in pain.

"Good job, but you have to find some way to use all of this to allow your Cards to work again. Try releasing your staff again, but use some Dark energy while doing it. I know it sounds weird, probably because you've never actually talked about how you do what you do, but try it anyways. Concentrate on your Key and when you shout 'release,' put some Dark energy into it," Shadow instructed and turned to see Tyrell panting. "Tyrell, are you ok?"

"I'll be fine. Just… let me… rest for a while," he said. Tyrell sat down on the nearest rock to recharge his magical energies. He turned his head towards Sakura expectantly for a moment before turning back to the battle and watching the hopeless situation.

Shadow walked to the center of the shields and pulled more energy from the Dark Power Sphere, filling himself with it. He unleashed an outwardly flowing ring of energy on the monsters, knocking them all back a few feet before concentrating on each individual and destroying them.

Sakura closed her eyes yet again, concentrating on her Star Key and reciting the incantation to release it. As she yelled, "Release!" she poured some of the Dark energy she had stored up inside her into the Key. Moments later, the Key slowly transformed into a staff, slightly darker than usual, and extended to its full length. "Fiery!" Sakura yelled, trying one of her Cards.

The Card hovered for a few seconds in the air before slowly floating back down to Sakura's hand, still as lifeless as before. "Shadow, what's wrong? Why can't I use my Cards?"

"Remember what I told you. The new cards you have nullify Clow's magic when it's alone. You have to put other magic into it. Use the Anti-ring in the same way that you did to release your staff, and you should be able to use the Cards. Better yet, you could try using the new cards. However, you know how dangerous that could be," Shadow replied, decimating monsters in the process.

The monsters gave a loud cheer as they destroyed the next couple of shields, leaving only one between them and their victims. At that moment, a _sphienent_ phased into the midst of them and the monsters quieted. The _sphienent_ turned a bright red and lashed out at the last shield, shattering it to pieces, and headed straight for Sakura.

"Fiery!" Sakura and Shadow yelled at the same time. Both their Cards worked, infused with Dark energy, and sprang towards the _sphienent_, annihilating it. The other monsters stared at their annihilated comrade, suddenly enraged and willing to risk anything for revenge. A moment later, they all charged, seeing no shield between themselves and their prey, ready to avenge their fallen.

Moments before they reached their victims, Shadow and Sakura shouted, "Shield!" and formed two, nearly identical shields around the three of them, blocking the monsters.

"Shadow, we can't keep this up forever! I don't have that much energy, and it takes a lot for me to pull power out of the Anti-ring. What are we going to do?" Sakura asked desperately.

"We'll hope that the others get through soon. Until then, we'll have to think of a way out," Shadow replied, walking over to Tyrell. "Are you okay now, Tyrell?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Now I'm sure that Sakura is the prophesized one. She's fulfilled the second sign and that's enough proof for me. Not everyone can learn to use magic from the Realms. For most, you're either born with it, or you won't ever be able to use it."

"Sakura!" came Li's voice from the crowd of monsters. "Get out of my way!" he yelled, slashing his way through the monsters and stepping through the protective shield.

"Li! What are you doing here? I though you were with Solana and the others!" Sakura yelled, embracing Li and causing him to blush furiously.

"I… I wanted to see if you were okay," Li replied, turning a light pink.

"Thank you for worrying about me," Sakura said, causing Li to turn a deeper red. "I'm okay."

"Ummm… Sakura… I… ummm… glad you're ok."

"Hey, the two of you might want to celebrate your reunion later," Shadow said, interrupting Li.

"You're right. We've got to find a way to stop Altarrin. Shadow, does the prophecy say anything about the order that the signs are supposed to happen?" Sakura asked.

"Well, it implies that they would go from one to four, in order, but I think you did the second before you finished the first."

"What about the third? I don't understand that one. What does it mean when it says I'll find someone that's lost me earlier in life?" Sakura asked.

"I want to tell you, I really do, but I'm afraid I can't quite let you know. I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you for now. Work on the parts you do know, then figure out the rest," Shadow replied.

"Sakura, what are we going to do about these monsters? Shield can't hold forever," Li asked, hoping Sakura would have some idea what to do.

"I think I should try these new cards. Maybe they work like my Cards. The prophecy says I'm supposed to conjure strange beings from them, and that's what I do with my Cards. It shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"I don't think it's very safe," Shadow and Li said at the same time.

"If you want to, I'll support and help you how I can," Shadow said. "I still don't think it's too safe though."

"Shadow," Tyrell yelled, pointing up at the sky. "Look! It's Solana on Zephyr!"

Shadow, Li and Sakura all looked up at the sky to see a large white horse descending into the protective shield with Solana and Candice on its back.

"So, they haven't torn you apart. What a shame," Candice said as she dismounted Zephyr.

"Candice!" Solana yelled. "We're supposed to be working together. If we don't, Altarrin will destroy us all!"

Candice shot a challenging look at Shadow, and turned to the monsters, setting them aflame one by one.

"You really shouldn't work so hard here. Your alignment is Fire, and it takes a lot of work to use Fire energy here," Shadow warned before joining in and dissolving the monsters around them.

"I don't need your advice!" Candice shouted, continuing to set monsters on fire.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Solana asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for coming to rescue me," Sakura replied, still thinking about the two new cards and what they might do.

Solana turned to the fight and tried to help, straining herself to pull at the Wind energy that seemed so distant. As the strain of pulling Wind energy became apparent on Solana's face, Candice stumbled and fell, panting, to the ground.

"Solana, you don't need to help. It's very difficult to access Wind energy from here. Keep Sakura safe!" Shadow yelled over the angry screams of the monsters. "Candice, take a break. Don't work so hard here! Stop trying to get yourself killed!"

"Quiet!" Altarrin suddenly yelled, causing all the monsters to halt. "I've had enough of this. I will destroy you all myself, and when I finish, Sakura will be mine and the Realms will fall at my feet!"

"Not if I can help it!" Li yelled, taking out his lightning _ofuda_ and summoning a large stream of lightning. The lightning sped towards Altarrin and ricocheted off his dark armor to incinerate a monster more than ten feet away.

"You fool! You can do nothing against me!" Altarrin boomed, flinging streams of energy at the shields around Li, destroying the first.

Shadow's Shield Card returned to its Card form and floated down to Shadow's hand. Altarrin flung another stream of his multi-colored energy at the remaining shield, intending to blow straight through it and hit Li, when a large slab of earth appeared between Altarrin and the shield, intercepting the energy.

"Are you guys ok?" Sigma yelled, running into the shield with Matriana following behind him.

"We're fine. Where's everyone else?" Solana asked worriedly.

"We thought they were with you," Matriana replied. "I haven't seen any of them since the monsters started appearing."

"I though I saw Abner mount Zephyr with you, Solana. Where did he go?" Sigma asked.

"He asked me to set him down back there," Solana said, motioning to the east. "So I let him off and asked him why, but he disappeared before he answered. Then I came back to see if I could find you guys."

"That doesn't make any sense. How did he disappear?" Tyrell asked.

"I turned to see if anyone was following me while asking him why he wanted to be let off. Then, when I turned back, he wasn't there anymore," Solana explained, looking as confused as everyone else.

Suddenly, the large slab of earth Sigma had put between Altarrin and the rulers shattered. Altarrin unleashed wave after wave of energy, aiming for each of the rulers. "You will all fall before me!"

At that moment, all the rulers turned to Altarrin and simultaneously unleashed their energies at him, forming one massive ball of assorted energy and negating all of his attacks before the remainder of the energy collided with Altarrin, sending him backwards a little ways.

"Let's take care of him before we do anything else," Shadow suggested, pouring Dark energy into a collective pool.

The rest of the rulers did the same. When they had added enough energy to the pool, they pulled from it until they held the most they could. "Let's see if you can stand to this!" Shadow yelled, as all the rulers unleashed a large ball of mixed energy at Altarrin.

Seconds later, the ball of energy collided with Altarrin, shattering his reflective, black armor and flinging him back into a tree.

"Noooo!" Altarrin yelled as he rammed into the tree. "You will all pay! And she will help me do it!" With that, Altarrin's eyes turned a deep blue and his icy gaze landed on Li. Li's eyes darkened and suddenly, he stepped towards Sakura and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the shield.

"Li, what are you doing?" Sakura asked, fearful of the answer.

"Shadow," came a low voice from Li's mouth. "Give me your Anti-ring or I will destroy Sakura!"

"Li, let me go! Li? What are you doing?" Li's grip tightened on Sakrua's wrist, causing her to wince in pain. "Ow! Li, stop!" Sakura yelled, struggling to break free. As she struggled, the Anti-ring, by some off chance, fell from her pocket and landed at Li's feet. He quickly bent over to pick it up and grabbed Sakura, pulling her as painfully as he could towards Altarrin.

Altarrin got to his feet and put a hand on Li, their eyes glowing an identical icy blue.

"You will all suffer for what you have done to me," Altarrin said quietly. "You will all suffer for what you have done!" he screamed. "Come, we have work to do." Altarrin motioned for Li to follow him and walked off with Sakura.

"No, let him go!" Sakura yelled, kicking and screaming. "Let Li go!"

"No!" Altarrin screamed. Altarrin gripped Sakura's arm and forcefully twisted it behind her back. A moment later, Li drew his sword and bashed Sakura alongside her head with the blunt side, knocking her out and drawing a trickle of blood down her face.

"Li! Listen to me!" Shadow screamed, catching everyone's attention. "You can't do this to Sakura. I know you're in there somewhere!"

"You fool! He is mine now, and mine he will stay!" Altarrin yelled, walking away with Sakura and Li.

"Listen to me!" Shadow yelled in a commanding voice. "Will you do nothing to fight this?"

"You may as well give up, Shadow, and I'll spare you when the destruction comes. I'll see you then and you can have your precious Sakura back!" Altarrin spat, pulling Sakura along behind him. Li followed Altarrin, ignoring Shadow completely.

"Li! You have to come to your senses!" Sigma yelled, not daring to step forward, "After all the work you did to find her, you're going to help send her over to the enemy?"

By this time, Altarrin had already disappeared into the dark forest with Li following after. Moments later, Sigma turned back to the other rulers, losing hope. "This has gone on for too long. Why would Altarrin want Sakura?"

"Well, if you'd let me up, I'll tell you!" a voice yelled from the edge of the clearing.

"Lloyd, we forgot about you," Shadow said, releasing the flow of energy that pinned him down. "Your master seems to have left you now that he has possession of my Anti-ring."

"That's fine. I will come with you and help save Sakura. I know why Altarrin wants her. Is everyone here so I don't have to tell it twice?"

"Everyone's here except for Eriol and the four guardians. Abner seems to be missing."

"Did you say Abner?" Lloyd asked suddenly.

"Yes, why?" Shadow replied.

"That name sounds oddly familiar. Where have I heard it before?" Lloyd mumbled to himself.

"Well, he's the ruler of the Light Realm. Maybe that's where you've heard it. The rulers' names are thrown around from time to time," Sigma suggested.

"That might be it. Anyways, do these people need to hear this?"

"No. If they want to know, we'll tell them after. Go on," Candice said, staring at Lloyd suspiciously.

"Alright, here's what I know. Altarrin's planning on bringing back the Spirits that rampaged across the Realms some years ago. However, he's not going to send them across the Realms, but rather, he'll use the infinite energy from each of these to form a gateway to another world. Then, someone, or something, is supposed to come from this gateway and he'll be able to destroy the Realms without any opposition. That way, he can remake them however he sees fit.

He needs Sakura for all of this because she's the prophesized one. She's the one from another world that can use cards to summon magical creatures to do her bidding. The magical energies she uses will be completely drained from her body, leaving her completely lifeless and used to help create this gateway. I'm not sure exactly what the Dark Prophecies say, but that's the general idea," Lloyd explained as the rulers listened carefully.

There was silence for a few moments before Shadow spoke up. "What are the Dark Prophecies?" he asked.

"There are two types of Prophecies in the universe: Light and Dark. There are also other prophecies, with a lowercase 'p', that aren't as significant. Light Prophecies are those that ultimately help the Light, the good side of things, and Dark prophecies are those that will result in chaos and destruction. The Dark Prophecies are usually recorded by Dark sorcerers, no offense to you, Shadow, and the Light ones are usually recorded by Light sorcerers. In other words, these Prophecies are recorded by those that they are more important to.

"Altarrin has a large book of Dark Prophecies that have been recorded since the creation of the Realms. Some of it is written in an extremely old language that most people, including Altarrin, can't read. The more recent ones are written in plain text and can be read easily though they may be difficult to understand.

"This particular Dark Prophecy that I'm talking about was prophesized about seventeen years ago, a little before the war. It basically stated that during a long war, Spirits of the Realms' types would appear. Then, as an end to the war, the Spirits would die. However, the Spirits would rise again and, with the help of someone alien to the Realms that would wield magical cards, create a doorway to another world.

"I have no idea what might be in this other world, or what would actually happen to cause the Realms to be destroyed, but I don't think I want to find out."

A long silence followed after Lloyd finished. Shadow stared ahead for a while. After a few long minutes, Shadow spoke again. "Well, I have a slight confession to make. I knew a little about the Dark Prophecies, though I didn't know they were called that. I had, a while ago, found out about this and researched it a little further. All I knew was that someone would come from another world, not of the Realms, and would bring destruction to us."

"But yet you kept her with you anyways? What are you, crazy? You idiotic little…"

"That's enough, Candice," Matriana commanded. "Let Shadow speak; he knows more about this than any of us."

"Right, as I was saying, I found out that this person would bring destruction to us. I also knew that what is prophesized would inevitably happen, so I went and looked in some other books. I found some Light Prophecies, I didn't know they were called that either, that were similar to the Dark one I've told you about. It spoke of a person from another world that would save the Realms from destruction as well as be the cause of the destruction."

"Wait, let me see if I understand what you've said," Solana said. "Lloyd said that Altarrin will kill Sakura by draining all of the energy from her body and using it to open this gateway which will bring destruction to the Realms. This is prophesized in the Dark Prophecies, right?" Shadow and Lloyd both nodded as Solana looked at them. "Then, the Light Prophecies say that Sakura will somehow save us, even though she's dead?"

"I don't know. I'm just telling you what I read," Shadow replied.

"So, Sakura has to go through all of this, whether she likes it or not?" Solana asked despairingly. "That's not fair to her. She's so young, so full of life!" Solana yelled emphatically when Lloyd nodded. "Why her?"

"Things always seem to happen to Sakura, but she'll be okay. Here's my last question," Shadow said. "Why are you joining us, Lloyd? You could have ruled the Realms with Altarrin, so why join us?"

"I'm not sure. When I met Sakura, I questioned whether what I was doing was right. I led her straight to Altarrin, laughed at her when she was tortured, and never once did she fight back, never once did she show any signs of violence towards me. She would always just take the pain and carry on, always full of hope. Then, when I saw her losing hope, I just couldn't bear it any more. In the end, I suppose it was just her attitude that won me over. I just want her to survive this. I don't think its fair for all of this to happen to her," Lloyd said as remorseful tears formed in his eyes.

"It's okay. I'm sure she'll be alright. She always seems to find a way through."

* * *

Yes! It's done! I actually finished the chapter! Before I celebrate, I need to apologize to all my wonderful readers out there. I'm sorry, I really am. This chapter was more than a little late. I suppose I don't have too much to blame, but I'll blame homework. Anyhow, I'll start writing the next chapter now.

Things to think about:

I shouldn't have to tell you. In this chapter, think about the prophecy, the first one that I gave you. Then, think about the Light and Dark Prophecies that you've just now heard about.

Also, how is Sakura going to fulfill any prophecies if she dies? Does this mean she'll somehow make it through?

Now, I'm going to allow you to come up with stuff to think about by yourself. All that's left now is the still standing "challenge to the readers."

What's up with Shadow? Why does he claim to care so much about Sakura, but show it in such an odd way? What's does he really want with Sakura? Be the first to email me the correct answer to this question, and I'll post your name at the end of the fic.


	18. Rescue

Author's Note (A/N): I continue to apologize for the lateness. It will get better as soon as I can manage it.

Previously:

Sakura was recaptured by Altarrin and the rulers have learned about these weird Dark Prophecies. These Dark Prophecies seem to contradict the Light Prophecies as one says that a foreigner will bring destruction to the Realms and the other claims that the foreigner will save the Realms. Lloyd joins up with the rulers and so, this chapter begins…

**Chapter 18: Rescue**

"Lloyd, I'm glad you care about Sakura. We need more people on our side. Do you know why Altarrin is so strong? Do you know any secrets to his power?" Matriana asked as she paced across the clearing.

"I have no idea. He's just always been like that. I can't tell exactly what type of energy he uses, though I do see him use it. Why?"

"I just need to know how we can defeat him. If he's the Summoner, then I think he must have come from a significantly more powerful Realm. There's no way he could have created the Spirits if he had only used energy from the normal Power Spheres. The only conclusion I've come to doesn't make any sense at all."

"What conclusion is that?" Sigma asked from the edge of the clearing, leaning on a leafless tree.

"Well, the only conclusion that I've come to is that he uses the Golden Sphere as his source of magic," Matriana replied.

"What's your reasoning behind this?" Tyrell asked, sitting on a rock behind Matriana at another edge of the clearing.

"Well, think about it. The only way we were able to defeat the Spirits was with the Golden Sphere. Therefore, they must have been created by something equally powerful, if not more powerful. The only thing that we know of that has so much power, is the Golden Sphere. So, he must have used the Golden Sphere to create the Spirits."

"However, you think that this doesn't make sense because it took us, or rather you and the other old rulers, a tremendous amount of energy to be able to even barely touch this other Sphere. So your question is, how he does it, right?" Shadow cut in.

"Yes, that's exactly what I need to know. And if he does wield Golden energy, then there's nothing we can do against him."

"And so, we turn to the Prophecies. If I'm right, then Sakura is the only hope of our world. Lloyd, can you tell me exactly what the Dark Prophecies say?" Shadow asked.

"No. I already told you that I don't know exactly what they say. I only have bits and pieces of it that Altarrin has let me in on."

"Wait. Tell me again what you do know. Try to be concise," Matriana asked.

"Alright, here's what I know. From what I've learned, there will be a person that comes from another world, something outside of the Realms. This person will, with the Spirits, open a gateway to another world, also not of the Realms. Then, someone, or something, will come forth and destroy the Realms, leaving them open to be remade in any way this someone or something sees fit."

"Well, that doesn't necessarily point at Sakura. We've got three others with us that aren't from the Realms, don't we?" Tyrell said.

"We have four people and four guardians. However, don't the Dark Prophecies say something about wielding magical cards?" Sigma asked.

"Yes, they say that the foreigner would be able to wield magical cards and summon from them numerous beings to do his or her bidding," Lloyd replied.

"Shadow, can't you use cards like Sakura's?" Solana suddenly asked.

"Yes, but so can Li," Shadow replied.

"But you're from the Realms, so it doesn't apply to you. Li's with Sakura, so if it's him, it doesn't matter anyways. So, which one is it? One of them has to save the world while the other destroys it, losing his or her life. Anyone have any ideas?" Matriana asked.

"I'm almost positive that Sakura will save us, but until I see the Dark Prophecy, I can't be sure that it's Li that will destroy the Realms. Also, one of them could do both, though it seems rather unlikely that a dead person will save the world. Either way, I'd like to see a copy of the prophecies. Lloyd, do you know where I can find one?" Shadow asked.

"Sorry, but the only copy I ever saw was with Altarrin, and he always keeps it on him. So, if you want it, you'll have to take it from him."

"Well, now that we're done talking, let's do something!" Candice yelled, breaking her long silence.

"We haven't heard any of your ideas. You must have some thought about all of this," Sigma asked.

"If you ask me, we should just leave everything to the Prophecies. They're going to inevitably happen anyways," Candice said gruffly.

"That's not necessarily true. The Prophecies, whether large or small, are simply there as guides. They may predict the future, but only if the future decides to take action. I believe that it is our job, as the rulers, to make sure that the Light Prophecies come to pass, and hopefully, prevent the Dark Prophecies in the process," Matriana said enthusiastically.

The other rulers, except Candice, nodded in agreement, and decided that they should follow Altarrin. Suddenly, Shadow asked, "Where's Eriol? He, Meiling, and Tomoyo, with the guardians, have to be around somewhere."

"That's a good question. The last I saw of them was back when we first started out. Could they have gotten lost?" Sigma suggested. "This Realm does change from time to time, right?"

"Not when I'm holding it in place. This Realm hasn't changed since you reached my castle, Sigma. If they got lost, it's because they chose to."

"Wait, they're not the only ones missing. I haven't seen any sign of Abner since I dropped him off. I don't think he would just walk off and leave us here," Solana said, concerned for Abner's safety.

"Why does that name sound so familiar? I know I've heard it before, but not as a ruler's name. I just can't quite remember…" Lloyd said, trailing off.

"Sigma, what did Abner do before he was a ruler?" Tyrell asked, suddenly interested.

"Well, when he became ruler, I was about ten. He was a pretty young ruler and I was pretty young when he became one. I really don't remember, but I'm sure he must've done something to earn him the status of 'Ruler of the Light Realm.'"

"What about you, Candice, do you remember?"

"I'm younger than Sigma by a couple years, and my memory's not that great. Most history books would record something like this somewhere," Candice replied.

"Why are you so interested all of a sudden, Tyrell?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know. I seem to remember my father saying something about Abner before he died. I'm not sure what, though. Also, I love mysteries and history. If there's a blank in history, I always try to fill it in," Tyrell replied.

"Well, good luck. Now, we have some missing people, but I'm sure they'll be alright. Abner can take care of himself, as he's the oldest ruler here and has the most knowledge, and Eriol has all four of the guardians with him. So, our first priority is to rescue Sakura and Li from Altarrin and bring them to safety. Then, we can worry about everyone else. Any ideas on how to rescue them?" Shadow said.

"None here. Do you know where he is?" Solana asked.

"I know the general direction he's in. However, we need some way to rescue Sakura from him. We can't hurt her or Li. Either one of them could be the most important piece to the puzzle of these prophecies," Shadow said, stressing their need to be careful.

"Alright, we'll need to come up with a miraculous plan. Otherwise, there's no way we can win," Matriana said, beginning to pace across the clearing again.

The rest of the rulers sat and thought for a while, all realizing that they had precious little time, knowing that each second they wasted could be the second that Sakura or Li died.

* * *

"Eriol, what are you planning?" Suppi asked, hovering behind Eriol.

"We're going to investigate. When I saw Altarrin, I felt his aura and I don't quite understand it, so we need to go investigate."

"How does this aura feel?" Suppi asked in his normal voice.

"I don't know, but it's not like anything I've felt before. The closest that I've felt is Abner's aura, so I guess I'd describe it that way," Eriol replied, showing his uncertainty for once.

"Are we there yet?" Nakuru whined.

"Why aren't you two in your true forms?" Keroberos and Yue asked, staring at them disapprovingly.

"Ahh, why do we need to do that if the two of you already are?" Nakuru asked rhetorically.

"You shouldn't let your guard down. You never know what might happen here," Eriol lectured.

"Fine, if it'll make you happy, I'll change back to my true form," Nakuru said, glowing and changing into Ruby Moon.

Suppi did the same, changing to Spinel and they all walked on in silence for the next few minutes. After a while, they saw a bright flash of light in the distance and made for it.

"Eriol, do you know what that was?" Spinel asked.

"I have no idea, but I felt Altarrin's aura there," Eriol said, walking alongside Yue.

"Well, let's hurry!" Ruby yelled enthusiastically.

Ruby flew ahead of the rest of them, causing everyone to run to catch up. "Ruby, wait up!" Keroberos yelled.

"Why? We're almost at where the light was!"

"You know better than that, Ruby. What's gotten into you? It could be a trap!" Spinel cried, blocking Ruby's way.

"I don't care! I'll do anything that's more exciting than this!" Ruby yelled, her arms glowing a deep red. "Get out of my way!"

Spinel hurriedly flew from in front of Ruby, leaving Eriol to face her.

"Stop, I, as your master, command you," Eriol said in a soothing voice. Ruby turned a deep purple before changing forms back to Nakuru and floating gently to the ground. The group, excluding Nakuru, stopped where they were. They all gathered around Eriol, wondering what happened. "We'll stay here for now. I don't trust our luck to go any further," Eriol said.

Eriol took out his staff and stood over Nakuru's unconscious body. The staff shone a deep red as he passed it over her, muttering something under his breath. A moment later, Nakuru was outlined in the same red glow and seemed to suddenly relax.

"Ruby Moon, return to your true form!" Eriol commanded.

Nakuru quickly transformed back into Ruby Moon and groaned awake. "Wh-where am I?"

"Something happened to you earlier. It almost seemed like someone took control of you. Are you alright now?" Eriol replied.

"Yes, I'm fine. What are we going to do now?"

"We'll set up camp for now. After a little bit, we'll continue towards where the light was," Eriol responded.

After a little while, they set up a makeshift camp with a tiny fire and some logs to sit on. Later on, when they grew tired, each one of them went to bed. Eriol was placed on the first guard.

* * *

Altarrin led Sakura into a dark cave and down a flight of rocky stairs. The inside of the cave smelled of rats and running water could be heard deep inside the cave. Moments later, Li grabbed Sakura by the wrist.

"Li, snap out of it!" Sakura yelled as Li shoved her into a cold cell.

"You may as well give up, Sakura. You're mine now, and there's nothing anyone can do about it!" Altarrin yelled as he and Li left.

Sakura sat in her cell, all alone. _I can't let this happen. Li… How can you do this? I know you're still in there somewhere. You have to be!_ For the next few hours, dark thoughts ran through her mind: thoughts of Li, hurting her no matter what she did, not realizing what he was doing. Soon, she fell asleep and had dreams of the same sort. A few hours later, Altarrin returned and pulled Sakura from her cell.

"It won't be long now, Sakura. Now, put this on," he said, handing Sakura a large half-golden, half-silver ring.

"Wh-why?" she asked, recognizing the Ring for what it was.

"To ensure that you don't escape. You can either put it on willingly, or I will force it on you," Altarrin threatened.

Sakura took the Ring in her hands, holding it for a while and unsure what to do with it. "How do I put it on?" she asked.

"Use it as a bracelet. I'm sure you'll look great with it!" Altarrin barked, laughing a malicious laugh. "If you even think of trying to escape, you will feel more than just my whip!"

Sakura put her arm through the Ring which immediately shrunk to fit her wrist. "Ow!" she yelled as it clamped down.

"You know, Sakura, I have a strong urge to punish you for escaping last time. Tell me, how would you like to be tortured?" Altarrin laughed behind his dark helmet.

Sakura shrank back into her cell, cowering in fear of what might happen. "Please, please don't," she whimpered.

"If you don't choose, I'll torture you with every method that I can think of!" Altarrin threatened.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't say anything. At that moment, Lloyd ran into the room. "Altarrin! They're coming to attack us! If you don't do something, they'll get Sakura out!" he yelled.

"When I get back, Sakura, you better have a choice. If not…" With that, Altarrin ran up the rock stairs and out of the dark cave.

"Lloyd, please, help me. You have to help me save Li!" Sakura said in a loud whisper, desperate for any help she could get.

"Quiet, you worm. You belong to Altarrin now. If you even think, for a single second, that I would help you, you're dead wrong. Get back in your cell!" Lloyd commanded.

Sakura turned to walk into her cell when she suddenly felt an aura form around Lloyd. He unleashed a bolt of electricity and hit Sakura in the back, thrusting her into the cell. As she landed on the cold, rock floor, she began to weep, losing all hope.

"Sakrua!" Lloyd whispered, opening the door a little. "I'm going to leave the door slightly open. Flee when you can, but you better time it right. And make it look like you escaped by yourself!"

At this, Sakura turned to Lloyd, and a new optimism filled her. "Thank you," she murmured, filled with hope and joy. "But what about Li?"

"I can't do anything about him. Shadow and everyone else will be east of here. I'll lead Altarrin west and hopefully you can get away. Be careful!" Lloyd said under his breath. "I told you to get in your cell!" he yelled, slamming the metal door without latching it. When he left, the door was slightly ajar, leaving Sakura with a way out.

_Thank you, Lloyd,_ she thought, taking out Fiery and preparing to use it. A while later, she heard Lloyd's voice from above.

"Altarrin, they're attacking from over there, where the clearing was. I stayed with them a while, tricking them into believing I was on their side. But, now that I've left, they might guess, so we have to go quickly."

"Alright, I'll go. You, stay and guard Sakura. We can't risk losing her again!" Altarrin yelled.

At that moment, Sakura quietly chanted her incantation to release her staff. When she finished, her staff remained unchanged and she remembered the need for Dark energy to spark the process. Thinking about what Shadow had told her about the Dark energy in the Realm, Sakura closed her eyes and focused her spiritual energies on her immediate surroundings. As she felt around her, infinitesimally small, crisscrossing lines of energy revealed themselves to her. Sakura seized one of these lines and drew Dark energy through it and released her staff. "Fiery!" she whispered, melting part of the door before using Through and Fly to get out of the cave. Quickly, she flew to what she thought was west, judging by where Lloyd was and the direction in which he was waving. A moment later, an unseen force grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.

"Aaahh!" she yelled, fearing that she had been captured again.

"Shhh!" Candice hissed, as Sigma released Sakura from the chain of Earth energy he was using to bind her.

"Looks like Lloyd's plan worked. So, he does have what it takes to hide people's magical auras from his former master. He's pretty strong for a self-taught sorcerer," Matriana said, impressed.

"I don't understand it. My father knew every person in our Realm that could access the Power Sphere, and he gave me that list. Since he died, I've continued the list, striking off those that are dead and adding the ones that are new. However, I never saw Lloyd's name on it," Tyrell said.

"So, he uses Thunder energy. Well, you only find people when they're over ten years of age. Perhaps he left your Realm before then," Sigma said.

"Sakura, come here," Shadow said, leading Sakura off into the woods.

"What is it, Shadow?" Sakura asked as she followed.

"I know this must be hard for you, with Li on the other side, brainwashed, but I need you to fight against him. I'm sure you can get through to him somehow. Can you do that?"

"I… Fight Li? But… How can I… I can't…" Sakura said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Sakura, look at me. Sakura…" Shadow said as Sakura fell into his arms and cried.

"This isn't… fair… I… don't want to… to fight him. Why, Shadow?" Sakura asked between sobs.

"I need you to. It's the only way Sakura. You don't have to hurt him. All I need you to do is be there and attack him with something. Use Windy, just bind him like you did with Yue," Shadow suggested.

"H-how do you know about… about Yue?" Sakura asked, calming down a little.

"Are you still surprised when I know something about you? You should be used to it by now," Shadow said, smiling at Sakura.

"Ok, I'll do it. So long as I don't have to hurt him," Sakura said, filled with determination.

"Good, then we shouldn't have much of a problem getting through to him. Oh, Sakura, there's one other thing," Shadow said as they headed back towards the other rulers.

"Yes?"

"When this is all over, I promise both you and Li will be alive. I will protect you with my life."

"Thank you, Shadow," Sakura replied, smiling again.

"Shadow, wait – " Sakura called, thinking to tell Shadow about the success she had had in accessing the Realm's Dark energies.

"Shadow!" Sigma interupted. "Come listen to this!"

Shadow walked over to what looked like a long, thin string of rock after telling Sakura that they would talk later. "Sakura, stay here. What's this, Sigma?"

"Tyrell, Matriana, Candice, and I made this to try to listen to Lloyd and Altarrin. It's not very clear, but we can make out some of what they're saying. It seems that Altarrin came back after not being able to find them and Lloyd told him that Sakura escaped. Here, listen," Sigma said.

Shadow bent down and put the end of the odd string of rock into his ear.

"Ishe didstendn't knowsts thasts shesh'd be able to escape," Lloyd said on the other end.

"Welzsh, nowsh we're zz going to have to find her _again_!" Altarrin yelled.

"There, I fixed it so you can hear it better. You guys listen, I've got some preparing to do," Shadow said as he gave the 'string' back to Sigma. Sigma took the string and pressed it to his ear, listening closely and marveling at the clarity of what he heard. Meanwhile, Shadow walked back into the woods and motioned for a few of the rulers to come with him. "Ok, we need to start preparing. The sooner we end this, the better it will be. Maybe we can prevent this Dark Prophecy from being fulfilled."

"How do you want us to prepare? I'm sure we can set up a few traps, but otherwise, I don't have any other ideas," Solana said.

"Well, let's start by making a pool of our energy. We're more effective when we do that. After that, let's set up some traps and move everyone into the forest where we can easily hide. It shouldn't take Altarrin more than ten minutes to get here, so we have to work quickly," Shadow replied, already taking hold of the Dark energy and building a firm energy pool with it.

The other rulers did the same and soon, they had a large pool of energy deep in the forest. Then, they set to work building traps throughout the forest and hid everyone in the trees. "Remember, no one is to attack unless you are attacked first. We don't want to let him know where we are, and we want to lead him as far from Sakura as possible. Make sure you don't hurt Lloyd as he _is_ on our side," Shadow said moments before Sigma saw Altarrin not too far off in the darkness.

"Shadow, Altarrin's near. He's less than a mile from us!" Sigma whispered as he dropped back into his tree.

"Ok, everyone be quiet. When he gets here, remember where Sakura is and whatever you do, don't point him towards her!" Shadow said.

At that moment, Sakura gave a shrill scream. All the rulers except Candice, who was told to keep watch, ran to Sakura to see what was wrong. When they approached, they saw Sakura lying on the ground with a hand around her wrist.

"Sakura! What's wrong?" Shadow asked.

"It hurts!" she yelled, crying.

Shadow loosened Sakura's grip on her arm to see what she was talking about and found the Fire Ring clamped down on her arm. "Get Candice!" Shadow yelled as the Ring started to glow a bright red.

Moments later, Candice appeared and stared at the Ring in horror. "What am I supposed to do? The only way I can get rid of that is with the help of all the rulers and we're missing Abner!"

"Well, you have to try!" Solana yelled, holding Sakura close.

Candice nodded and turned to Sakura, pulling some energy from the pool the rulers had made earlier. She fed this energy through her Anti-ring and into the Fire Ring. After a few seconds, the Ring loosened and fell off of Sakura's charred arm.

"Good job, Candice," Matriana said as Candice collapsed in her arms.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Sigma asked, helping Sakura up.

"I'll be fine in a bit," Sakura said, leaning on Sigma's arm.

"Leave her here for now. She's too weak to get up at the moment," Shadow said. "You didn't break anything falling out of the tree, did you?"

"No, I'm fine. I just need some rest. Thanks for helping," she said drowsily before falling asleep.

After Shadow was sure that Sakura had fallen asleep, he turned to the other rulers. "This is bad. Altarrin had the Fire Ring, which means he's probably collected a few of the others by now. He's also taken my Anti-ring from Sakura so he can find the Dark Ring. If this continues, he'll be able to summon all the Spirits and we'll have a hard time keeping Sakura safe," Shadow said.

"What do you think we should do?" Solana asked.

"I think we need to go find the other Rings before he does. If not…"

"Fools! I already have them! And now that I have your Anti-ring, Shadow, I can get the last one!" Altarrin yelled, sending streams of energy at all the rulers and knocking them into trees. Only Shadow and Sigma were unaffected by Altarrin's attack as they were prepared with an energy shield.

"Altarrin!" Sigma yelled, creating a large earthquake and cracking the rock beneath Altarrin's feet. "You won't get her this time!" he yelled as a large slab of stone materialized above Altarrin and pushed him into the crack which promptly shut with a loud bang.

"Stay on guard!' Shadow yelled as the other rulers were freed. "He's still around."

The conscious rulers all pulled from their Power Sphere to refill the pool of energy and pulled from it. A moment later, Altarrin erupted from the ground next to Sakura, grabbed her, and took to the air.

"Extalidor!" he yelled as a large black pegasus flew to him. Moments later, he and Sakura disappeared into the darkness in the east, cackling madly.

"This is getting repetitive," Matriana said. "Every time, we save Sakura, then he takes her back, and we go after her again. When is this going to end?"

"This will end when we have Sakura here with us. Safe. Until then, we have to go after her if we want the Realms to stay in one piece. If you have any ideas about keeping her safe, I'll listen to them," Shadow retaliated.

"When did you become the leader of this group? Why should we do anything that you say?" Candice asked, embracing the pool of energy.

"You don't have to do anything I say. If you'd like to run up to Altarrin and politely ask him to hand over Sakura, be my guest. If you don't like my plans, don't follow them and try your own, but remember, if Sakura falls to him, it will be your fault. If the Realms get blown to pieces, it will also be your fault," Shadow said, turning his back on Candice.

Candice grew infuriated and unleashed all of the pool's energy at Shadow, hoping to catch him off guard. Seconds before the energy hit, Shadow leapt into the air and landed after the energy had collided with a tree, setting it on fire.

"I never said you had to stay with us, Candice. If you prefer to work alone, go ahead," Shadow said, walking out of the burning forest as more trees caught fire.

Sigma followed Shadow out with Matriana and Tyrell. Solana stayed with Candice, pulling her arm in vain. "Candice, we have to get going!"

"Fine!" she yelled, stomping after Shadow.

* * *

Well, this chapter is less late than the last one. I think. The chapter, I believe, was supposed to be posted 4/30/05. Anyhow, I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. I've decided to just point out a few things that you can think about and hopefully you'll know the answer to the challenge soon.

1) What's going to happen to Sakura now?

2) Great, Candice and Shadow are fighting. Somehow, that seems to me to be a bad thing.

3) Where's Abner?

4) What was that bright light that Eriol saw? The rulers didn't mention it…

Well, that's all of that. The challenge is still the same. Basically, who is Shadow, what does he want with Sakura, why does he do what he does, and… hmm that's it.


	19. Possessed

Author's Note (A/N): Yes, I know this chapter is late. Scroll to the bottom if you want the apologies. Other than that, enjoy the chapter and then read the apologies (or just not read the apologies and pretend like the chapter is on time)

Previously:

Lloyd went over to Sakura's side and helped rescue her. Sakura was rescued by Shadow and Tyrell, but then Li was taken under Altarrin's control (Gee, that's not good). Then, Sakura was taken prisoner again and Lloyd goes to rescue her (this is actually chapter 18. The other was chapter 17). Eriol seems to be separated from them and he sees some flash of light and feels Altarrin's aura from it before Ruby goes crazy. Sakura is saved again and recaptured. On to the new chapter!

**Chapter 19: Possessed**

"Shadow, what are we going to do now? You're the only one that knows where Altarrin is. You must have something planned!" Solana said despairingly.

"Sorry, nothing this time. We need someone to tell us exactly what Altarrin's going to do. Where did Lloyd go?"

"I don't know. He didn't show up when Altarrin did. Let's check the trap that we set for him," Matriana suggested, making for the entrance to the forest.

"He's not there, don't bother," Tyrell replied. "I don't feel his Thunder energies over there. I think he may not have come, or maybe, he already knows where Altarrin was heading and made for it already."

"Well, that doesn't help us any. I need to know exactly what Altarrin plans to do!" Shadow said, rather frustrated.

"What about Eriol? Whatever happened to him?" Sigma asked. "I'm sure he has some information after being gone for so long."

"If you'd like, you can go look for him. I don't think he knows anymore than we do at the moment. As for me, I'm going to start planning our next attack. Altarrin's still a lot stronger than us."

"Well, we'll leave you here to plan. The rest of us will do something productive!" Candice said, leading the other rulers away from the forest.

"Candice, wait!" Solana yelled after her. "What are we leaving to do?"

Candice stopped to think for a while, not really having a plan other than getting away from Shadow. "We're going to look for Eriol. If anyone wants to come with me, they'd better hurry!" With that, she walked off again, followed by Solana and Sigma.

"Well, I guess that's the best plan we have right now. Shadow! Don't leave the forest if you don't have to. I'd rather not have to look for you later," Sigma said.

"Alright. I'll be right here thinking over some strategy that might work. Why aren't the two of you going?" he asked Tyrell and Matriana.

"As much as I'd like to go instead of sitting around and thinking, I really don't think it will help any to find Eriol. Besides, why do we need four people to find him?" Tyrell replied.

"Whatever. If you guys want to stay, you guys can stay. Until we come up with something, I don't plan on attacking Altarrin, though Candice might."

"What did you say about me?" Candice yelled, a few feet off.

"I said that you'd probably attack Altarrin without a plan," Shadow replied.

Candice turned her back on Shadow and stalked off with Sigma and Solana. "Stupid Shadow!" she mumbled.

"He's not so bad. It really could be worse," Sigma replied. "Anyways, I'm sure Eriol's nearby. He can't have gone too far."

"No, but we did," Solana said. "I'll take Zephyr and another person with me. Who wants to come?"

"I don't," Sigma and Candice said at the same time.

"Oh, come on! It'll be easier if we have two people searching from the sky!" Solana cried indignantly.

"That's fine with me," Sigma said, cutting a platform of rock from the ground and getting on top of it. "Coming, Candice?"

"That, I'll do. I'm sorry, Solana. I just don't like riding on pegasi. I prefer solid ground under my feet. Or a dragon," Candice said, taking Sigma's hand and stepping up onto the platform.

"Fine…" Solana whined, taking to the air. "I'll go south, along the way we came. You two go slightly to the east or west."

"Alright," Candice replied. "Let's go, Sigma."

"Sure. Just like old times, right?" Sigma replied.

"It _has _been a while since we've done this. I think the last time you transported any of us like this was back before the war," Candice said, deep in thought.

Sigma stayed silent, remembering everything that had happened in the war, but particularly the last battle. After a few minutes, he refocused himself and started looking for Eriol on the ground. "I'll look off on this side. You take that side," he said, looking off into the east, towards Solana. "Solana! Go further to the east!" Sigma instructed.

Solana turned off to her left, heading a little more southeast. For the next few hours, Sigma, Candice and Solana searched for Eriol. Suddenly, Sigma spotted Yue a few feet under him and let himself down. "Candice, there's one of the guardians. I'm sure he knows where Eriol is," Sigma said.

As Sigma lowered himself to the ground, Yue spotted them and immediately formed a bow and arrow in his hands, nocking the arrow and drawing the bowstring to his ear. When he saw who it was, he let the arrow and bow disappear and turned to lead them to Eriol with a nod.

Sigma and Candice got off the floating platform and walked behind Yue until the reached Eriol. "Eriol, where have you been?" Sigma asked when he saw Eriol on the floor.

"Everyone disappeared as soon as I walked out of the castle. I couldn't find anyone so I just walked along until I saw a bright flash of light and felt Altarrin nearby. And now, I'm here," he replied.

"What about Meiling and Tomoyo? Where have they gone?"

"They're not with you?" Eriol asked.

"No, they've disappeared too. Shadow says that he's been holding the entire Realm in place for the past few days. I wonder how you, or they, for that matter, got lost," Sigma thought aloud.

"Well, either Shadow's lying, like I think he is, or he's so pathetically weak that he can't hold his own Realm the way he wants, also like I think he is!" Candice said, growing angry at Shadow.

"I don't think Shadow was lying to you. When you guys disappeared, I felt Altarrin's aura. Actually, it wasn't exactly like his aura. The aura seemed to be a blend of Altarrin's and Abner's. Another thing I realized since the attack on Shadow's castle is that Abner's aura is a lot like Altarrin's and I don't understand it. Perhaps Altarrin originally came from the Light Realm, but I doubt it."

"So, you're saying that Altarrin somehow separated you from everyone, which probably means that he's the one who separated Tomoyo and Meiling as well. Is there some reason that you trust Shadow so much?"

"Yes, but it's hard to explain. You see, the aura around him, with his odd version of the Clow Cards accounted for, is very familiar, but yet not. I think perhaps he's shielding his aura from me, but I know that it's familiar as a friend, not an enemy. Other than that, there's no reason," Eriol replied.

Candice stood for a while, not sure exactly what to think. After a while, she sat down and pondered what Eriol said.

"What did you say about a bright light?" Candice asked as she stood up.

"As I was walking, I saw a bright flash of light and felt Altarrin's presence. When I started heading towards it, Ruby, my moon guardian, started acting weird until I cast a protective spell over her. This time, I knew it was Altarrin's aura that I felt, but I can't explain the flash of light," Eriol said halfheartedly.

"I see. Is there anything else unusual that's happened?"

"No. So far, that's all. However, we need to look for Tomoyo and Meiling. Do you have any news concerning where they might be?"

"No, but we do have some interesting stuff to tell you. First off, we saved Sakura, but then Altarrin recaptured her again. Second, it seems that Sakura has already found the cards described in the prophecy. We also found out about the Dark Prophecies which tell about a foreigner who brings destruction to the Realms. But, more importantly, we'd like to know what you make of the new cards that Sakura has. According to Shadow, they seem to disrupt the magic of Clow and in order for Sakura to even use her magic, she needed help from the Dark magic that Shadow taught her to use," Sigma said, expecting Eriol to have some answer.

"I'll have to see these cards. Without that, there's not much I can do. Still, we need to find Tomoyo and Meiling first."

"Chances are that they're captured. Anyways, let me get this straight. When you were separated from us, you felt a presence like Altarrin's?" Candice asked.

"Yes. It was actually a mix between Abner's and Altarrin's. Don't you feel that Abner's and Altarrin's auras are eerily similar?"

"No. I've never felt an aura from Altarrin except when he's using his magic, but then, his aura isn't one that I've felt before. Abner's aura is always present and is the aura of someone who uses Light magic and energies a lot." Sigma began to pace back and forth, flinging little pebbles through the air as he thought. "But you can't be suggesting that Abner's on Altarrin's side?"

"Well, I think I know why you don't feel their auras. It seems that you, and the rest of the rulers, only feel a person's magical aura and can identify them that way. In other words, if I start using Light energy, then my aura, to you, would feel like Abner's. However, I feel a person's actual aura, along with Sakura and Li. Their magical aura still exists; I just don't look at it. In answer to your other question, I don't know. I don't think he is, but I'm not ruling it out either." When Eriol finished, he got up and walked away from the two rulers, beckoning his two guardians to follow him. "Yue, you and Keroberos go with them. We need to start looking. It will be easier if we split up to search."

"Yes, however we need to get back to Shadow with some of this information. I'll go back and tell him, then start looking afterwards. Candice, you go look. I suppose you'll have to walk," Sigma said, embracing the invisible Earth Sphere's energies. He carved out a piece of stone and stepped onto it, making it hover a few feet above the ground.

"That's alright. If only I knew where Flame went. I'll call to him, and if he doesn't arrive in the next few minutes, I'll walk," Candice said. "Eriol, whatever happened to Phyre?"

"I left him back at the castle a while ago. If you can call her too, please."

"No problem. Bye, Sigma!" Candice said, waving as she pulled on the energies from the Fire Sphere. She sent out invisible streams of Fire energy in every direction, calling for any of her dragons within a two mile radius. Moments later, Phyre appeared on the horizon and landed next to Eriol, lowering its head and folding its wings.

"Well, there she is. I'll wait a bit for Flame before I start walking. I'll be fine, so you can go now."

"Ok, I'll see you back at Shadow after we've found everyone. Can you tell me where he is?"

"He's over there. Just go in a straight line that way and you'll find him. He should be right outside a burning, or burnt, forest," Candice said, pointing to the northeast.

"Thank you. I'll leave you now," Eriol said, flying off with Phyre.

_He's a quick learner,_ she thought._ He already has Phyre listening to him. Well, off to find Sakura's two friends._

* * *

Meiling groaned awake and turned to Tomoyo. "Tomoyo? Where are we?" she asked, waking up her sleeping friend.

With a small, painful groan, Tomoyo woke up and looked around. "I don't know. The last thing I remember is… is getting ready to go with all the rulers out to find Sakura."

"Me too. I wonder what happened," Meiling said, getting up and helping Tomoyo up.

"Ow!" Tomoyo yelled as she stumbled onto Meiling.

"What's wrong?" Meiling asked in a frantic voice.

"I think I twisted my ankle. I'll be fine."

"No, you won't. Here, let me help you." Meiling got under Tomoyo's left arm and helped support that side of her. "Come on, let's move while we can," she said, helping Tomoyo limp along.

After a long while, Tomoyo asked to stop, and the two of them sat down for a while and talked. A moment later, they set out again, having no plans other than to go in a straight line until they found something.

"I wonder how long we were asleep," Tomoyo thought aloud about half an hour later.

"I'm sure it wasn't too long. Are… are you worried?"

"A little, but I know Sakura will make it through. She always does," Tomoyo replied.

After that, the two didn't talk for a long while. The stopped periodically and continued on as soon as they had enough strength. A few hours later, Tomoyo tripped on a slab of stone.

"Tomoyo! Are you ok?" Meiling asked concernedly.

"I'm fine. Just give me a few minutes," Tomoyo replied. The two of them sat on the strange slab of stone. Suddenly, the slab shone brightly and Tomoyo disappeared in a bright flash of white light.

"Tomoyo? Tomoyo! Where are you?" Meiling asked hysterically. After a few minutes of searching, Meiling found no trace of Tomoyo and sat down, tears creeping up on her.

"Hey! You're one of Sakura's friends, right?"

Meiling shot up, looking around for the voice.

"I'm over here," the voice said as Abner stepped out into the open.

"You, you're Abner, the Light Ruler, right? Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"Sorry. I saw your friend disappear a few seconds ago. Do you have any idea what happened?" Abner asked thoughtfully.

"No, but can you help me get her back, please?"

For the next half hour or so, they two of them worked together to try to figure out what happened to Tomoyo. After a while, Abner sat down and thought about the slab of stone while Meiling continued digging around the stone, hoping to find some clue.

"Just give up for now. Get some rest. You can look again later, but there's no use wearing yourself out now. Besides, I'm sure she'll turn up sometime," Abner said, lying down to sleep.

After a few more moments of searching, Meiling decided to go to sleep and start searching again tomorrow. As she dozed off, she saw Abner slowly get up and pace around.

* * *

"No! Get away!" Meiling yelled, suddenly standing as a veiled man threw her into a cage with Tomoyo. "Tomoyo! What are you doing here?"

Tomoyo stared back at Meiling with vacant eyes, seeing her, but not. "Come in, Meiling," she said monotonously.

"What's wrong?" Meiling asked frantically. The veiled man had disappeared and she was free to go, but something kept her. Something…

"Come." Tomoyo's voice took on a mystical tone as she said this, echoing through Meiling's head.

_Those eyes. So deep… Must follow the eyes… I must…_

"T-Tomoyo," Meiling said in a trancelike tone.

In the distance, Meiling heard maniacal laughter and vaguely saw the veiled man come up from behind her, tie her arms together and drag her through the dirt. Nothing mattered; only those deep, dark eyes that didn't belong on Tomoyo's face.

_Those eyes…_

Moments later, she was flying through the air, riding a dark, black pegasus. The world sped by in a blur and, in the distance, she could hear the veiled man talking and herself answering.

They landed and Meiling got up, following the veiled man, unable to control herself. She stepped into a cold, dark cell and dimly noted the presence of rats about half the size of her foot. The veiled man's soothing voice called to her and she answered. Moments later, she was lying on the floor, falling deeper and further from reality.

_Those… eyes…_

* * *

Tomoyo walked carelessly through the empty hallway, surrounded by prison cells. She found Meiling's cell and stepped inside, walking over to the seemingly asleep girl.

"Our master calls," she said in quiet, almost whispering, tone.

Meiling got to her feet in a swift, lucid movement. The two of them walked up the stairs, staring blankly ahead, their feet taking them where they were to go without any thought. As they approached the top, a man wearing a black cloak and veil commanded them to hurry and they obeyed.

"What is your objective?" the man asked.

"We will capture the victim at all costs. We are insignificant, so long as the Great Concordat is fulfilled. We will bring the one you seek," Tomoyo and Meiling answered simultaneously.

"Good, then go!" the man commanded, turning in a blur with his cloak swirling behind him as he walked off.

Tomoyo and Meiling turned and headed northwest, away from the veiled man. Creatures scrambled out of their way as they approached, and the air seemed to stand still where they were, even if nearby the wind shrieked ferociously. Soon, they arrived at a castle, crumbling in parts, but well maintained in others. They walked past it, not seeing any connection between it and their target.

Hours later, they continued to walk, stopping only when their bodies could no longer survive without some form of sustenance. Finally, they arrived. A clearing with a few stumps set neatly around what used to be a campfire stood before them. They walked to the middle of the clearing, disappointed at not finding their target here. Moments later, they found tracks leading to the east and some to the northwest.

The two follow the tracks to the east for a while until they suddenly disappeared next to four large, four-toed, feet. At that, they turned around and followed the other tracks, leading to the northwest. Soon, these tracks ended the same way the others did and the two continued on in that direction, heading in a straight line and never changing their course.

After half an hour, they spotted a large dragon headed for them and stopped walking. Atop the dragon was a woman with flaming red hair, calling out their names.

"Tomoyo, Meiling! We've been looking everywhere for you!" the woman said as they landed.

"Candice, do you know where Sakura is?" Tomoyo asked, suddenly in her normal voice.

"Yes, but we don't know exactly where she is. She's been captured by Altarrin again, but we're working on getting her out. Anyhow, where have the two of you been?"

At that moment, Candice got off her dragon and stared into Tomoyo's soulless eyes. "Tomoyo, something's wrong with you. Wake up!" Candice yelled.

"I'm sorry you had to notice," Meiling said in a hollow voice, suddenly behind Candice. Meiling emitted a potent aura and Candice was flung five feet away, into a tree.

"You won't be needing your dragon anymore," Tomoyo said with the same hollow voice.

The two of them produced an odd, glowing rope and tied Candice's hands to the tree before extending the same aura over the dragon, forcing it to do what they wanted.

The two of them mounted the dragon and set off to the east, leaving Candice unconscious and bound to a tree.

* * *

Eriol flew over the land, scanning every bit of it with his sharp eyes. Kero and Yue followed him and searched the ground to the north while Ruby and Spinel searched the south. After hours of searching, they turned to the northwest and decided to head towards Shadow, having not found anything.

"Eriol! Come on down!" Sigma cried as Eriol approached the burnt forest.

Eriol directed Phyre downwards and dismounted. "Has Candice returned yet?"

"No, I think she's still out searching. Tomoyo and Meiling haven't shown up either," Sigma replied, leading Eriol to the rest of the rulers.

"What did Shadow say when you told him about Abner's aura?"

"He didn't say anything. He just nodded and turned to stare off into the distance," Sigma said. Then, he lowered his voice. "Tell me what you feel from Shadow," Sigma whispered.

"I really can't. I just know, somehow, that he's not our enemy. Well, at least not mine. I know I've felt his aura, or something like it, somewhere before."

"That's alright. Well, make yourself comfortable; this is as close to a bed as your going to get," Sigma said, pointing to a patch of short, soft grass. "It's a rare species in this Realm."

"Thank you, but I don't want to sleep right now. I need to talk to Shadow for a while."

"I don't think he wants anyone talking to him. He seemed kind of… distant the last time I spoke with him. If you want to try, he's over there."

"Thank you. Please watch for Tomoyo and Meiling and let me know if they arrive," Eriol said, walking off in Shadow's direction.

"No problem. Good luck with Shadow," Sigma replied as he turned back to his post.

Eriol walked for a few more minutes before spotting Shadow sitting on the edge of the blackened forest.

"Hello Eriol," Shadow said without looking.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Is there any reason I shouldn't? Tell me something, Eriol. Who do you think I am?"

"You're Shadow, the ruler of the Dark Realm. Why do you ask?"

Shadow continued to stare off into the distance, seemingly ignoring Eriol. A few moments later, he got up, turned to Eriol, and held out The Fiery.

"You must be curious, by now, as to where I got these," Shadow said. "Do you have any idea?"

"No, but it doesn't matter. They were made by Clow, if altered by you. You are their rightful owner, and therefore, I am not worried. Now, may I ask a few questions?"

Shadow stared back into the distance, listening for Eriol's question.

"Where do you come from, how did you get here, and who is Sakura to you?" Eriol asked.

"You know that I won't answer those three questions. I'll let you puzzle them out. Maybe you'll get them before I let Sakura know," Shadow said, sitting back on his log. "Is there anything else?"

"No, that's all," Eriol said, tuning away. _He's very strong if he can hide his aura from me so well._

Eriol decided to go wait for Tomoyo and Meiling, hoping they would show up soon.

"Eriol! That's Flame up there!" Sigma cried as Eriol approached.

Eriol quickly ran up to Sigma and saw Flame. Immediately he felt the aura of Meiling and Tomoyo and was relieved. "Meiling and Tomoyo are up there," Eriol said, waiting for them to land.

Moments later, the dragon landed in front of them and the two girls dismounted. Eriol stared at them for a few minutes before he noticed a strange aura coming from them and a missing Candice.

"Is something wrong, Eriol?" Sigma asked, noticing Eriol's sudden severity.

"There's something wrong with them, and Candice is missing."

"I'm sure your just imagining it. They look perfectly fine to me. Candice probably just leant them Flame for a while after landing somewhere. She used to enjoy walking a lot more than riding," Sigma said.

"Still, I think it's a good idea to be careful. Don't let your guard down."

"Don't worry about that. Here in the Dark Realm, I never let my guard down," Sigma replied.

"Hello, Eriol," Tomoyo said as they walked up to him.

"Hello. Tomoyo, is there something wrong?" Eriol asked.

"No, why?" Tomoyo said in an innocent tone.

"It's nothing. Where are you going?"

"We want to talk to Shadow about Sakura. Candice lent us her dragon and told us that Sakura was recaptured again," Meiling answered as they continued on towards Shadow.

The two girls walked past Eriol and headed straight for Shadow. Suddenly, Eriol asked, "How do you know that's where Shadow is?"

Tomoyo turned around and stared at Eriol through suddenly soulless eyes as Meiling continued on towards Shadow. "I'm sorry you had to notice, Eriol," Tomoyo said as a cold aura surrounded her. Instantly Eriol's staff was in his hand and he formed a shield around Sigma and himself before chanting a few words in attempt to knock Tomoyo out. Tomoyo continued her attack in retaliation to Eriol's constant attempt to render her unconscious.

"Tomoyo, you're in there somewhere!" Eriol said, struggling to keep his shield up.

"Yes, I'm right here," Tomoyo replied, bombarding Eriol's shield with still more power. A few seconds later, Tomoyo broke through Eriol's shield and unleashed a stream of energy at him and Sigma. Moments before it hit, Sigma created a large, rock barrier in the energy's path, successfully blocking the attack.

"Eriol, do you know what's going on?" Sigma asked as he created a large, transparent dome of pure gold around him and Eriol.

"Someone is controlling her, but I can't tell who. Whoever it is, they don't use any magic that I've seen before."

"This is weird. It's even different from Altarrin's magic and your own. Tomoyo didn't have any magical powers before, did she?"

"No, she didn't. Whoever, or whatever's controlling her is using it though her. There should be some flow of energy from Tomoyo back to the person that's controlling her. The only problem is I can't find it at all," Eriol said.

"Well, we better think of something fast," Sigma replied, straining under the effort of keeping up his shield.

"I don't have any idea what to do. Sigma, can you see the stream of energy?"

"N-no," Sigma said, the pressure of maintaining the shield slowing his speech. Moments later, he gave in to the pressure and the shield collapsed, exposing them to Tomoyo's blast of energy and blowing them ten feet away. As Eriol lost consciousness, he cast a small, tracking spell around Tomoyo, making sure he could find her again.

* * *

Well, this is another one of those really late chapters. It's all my homework's fault. At the moment, I'll be writing slowly, but… oh… say 2 weeks later, I'll be back to my old writing speed, if not better. Summer vacation! Anyhow, I'm sorry for how late this chapter is. The next chapter will probably be up in about 2 weeks because of my stupid finals. Until then, enjoy this chapter and think a about the following:

Altarrin's aura is like Abner's? Well… that doesn't seem too good…

Where did Tomoyo disappear to, and how did she manage to disappear?

Where was Abner when Meiling was captured by whoever captured her?

Who's controlling Meiling and Tomoyo? If it's Altarrin, then who are they after? It seems like they're after Sakura, but then they can't be working for Altarrin… hmm…

Wonder what'll happen to Shadow when Meiling arrives. Tomoyo seems to be pretty strong if she can take on Sigma and Eriol single-handedly…

Well, now for the condensed version of the challenge. Who is Shadow, what does/did he want with Sakura, what's he hiding, what's really going on… etc.?


	20. Nowhere to Go

Author's Note (A/N): Well, here's the next chapter. Encountered some problems writing it, but it was sorted out. The story should eventually be drawing to a close… and then hopefully another one… a sequel of sorts.

Previously:

Umm… (doing this from memory) I think that Tomoyo and Meiling were possessed by somebody… not going to say who. Then, they went and attacked Candice when she flew in… and… Oh, just go read it! In short, Meiling and Tomoyo are possessed… great…

**Chapter 20: Nowhere to Go**

"Shadow? Where are you?" Meiling asked, looking around cautiously.

"You'd like to know, wouldn't you? You don't fool me!" came Shadow's voice, echoing through the air.

"So," Meiling said, in a deeper voice. "You've found out. Tell me where Sakura is, and I'll leave you alone. If not, you'll meet the same fate as the others have!"

"Right," Shadow said mockingly. "You don't even know where I am."

"True, but you can't dodge an attack that covers the entire area!" Meiling yelled as a cold aura surrounded her. A large ball of energy formed in the air and began to descend, expanding as it did so. "Last chance! Tell me where Sakura is!"

"If you're so desperate to know, then you won't attack me with that," Shadow said calmly.

Meiling let the ball of energy above her disappear and waited a few moments. "Tomoyo! Glad you could make it! Help me find Shadow!" she said as Tomoyo arrived.

"You have no idea how big of a mistake you just made," Shadow said, appearing behind them with his staff in his hands. "Shield!"

A shield formed around both Tomoyo and Meiling as Shadow's Card took effect. A few seconds later, Meiling and Tomoyo passed out.

"Illusion!" Shadow said, forming what looked like a large steel cage around the two girls.

"Good, now on to the others," Shadow said to himself.

Shadow walked towards where Sigma and Eriol had been, only to find a small piece of paper, floating in the air and surrounded by a familiar aura.

_Great…_

He walked over to the paper and reached for it. As soon as his hand penetrated the cold, blue aura, he heard maniacal laughter echoing through the air.

"You didn't think I'd just leave them here, did you? You know that I'm smarter than that!" the laughing voice said.

"Sure, smarter. So, tell me… is it normal for you to attack people without them knowing who you are? I know by now that you're not Altarrin, so who are you?"

"And what makes you think I'm not Altarrin?" the voice replied.

"You use a different magic. Well? Who are you?" Shadow asked again.

"That's none of your business. I command you to tell me where Sakura is."

Shadow stood for a while before snatching the paper out of the air. "You're commanding me to do something?"

"Yes, I am. Now, you either do it, or what's written on that paper in your hands will happen!"

Shadow opened the folded paper and read:

"_**To Whom it May Concern,**_

**_I have taken Candice, Sigma, and Eriol. If the reader(s) of this letter care(s) for their lives in any way, he/she/they will show no objections to what is being asked of him/her/them. If not, their lives shall be relinquished from them."_**

"Alright, fine. Sakura is with Altarrin. If you ask me where Altarrin is, I'll tell you, 'he's over there' and point to the north. If you ask, 'how far,' I'll tell you that I don't know. Are you satisfied?"

"I should destroy these worthless beings just for your insolence!" the voice said, enraged.

"Well, I didn't lie to you in all of that, and if you want to destroy them, go ahead. I don't care."

"You're bluffing!"

"No, but I think you might be. Whether or not those people are alive doesn't concern me, though I have a feeling you need them alive for whatever you're planning," Shadow said in an icy calm voice.

"Then you will watch me kill them!" the voice said, materializing Sigma in front of Shadow.

"Nice trick. You really need to work on your taunting skills," Shadow replied, turning and heading back towards Tomoyo and Meiling. "When you're done with them, give them back. You only have to ask."

"You insolent fool! Whether or not you care, Sigma will die! It costs me nothing!"

At that moment, Sigma's form broke up into tiny particles of light which were quickly extinguished by the Dark magic in the Realm.

"Alright, so you've taken a hologram made of Light magic, and broken it up into a million tiny pieces. Now, what have you proven other than, 'I don't care what happens to them' and 'they're important to you?'" Shadow replied, continuing his walk away from where Sigma was.

"You know how wrong you are! Now for this one!"

Eriol materialized in front of Shadow, struggling in the air.

"Ok, now you've animated your hologram. Here, let me kill him for you," Shadow said as he saw Eriol's figure. He unleashed a large bolt of Dark energy which exploded as soon as it collided with Eriol, breaking him up into a million points of light. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but normal humans don't break up into fragments of Light energy when they die."

Shadow continued walking, enjoying the silence as the voice disappeared. As Tomoyo and Meiling came into view, he saw that they had awakened and greeted them.

"Hi, remember me?"

"Shadow! You captured us?" Meiling asked.

"If you'd like to believe that, go ahead. But for now, I claim that I didn't."

"Right. So why are we in a cage?" Meiling retorted.

"Before I answer your question, I need you to answer mine. What's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember sitting on a slab of rock when the world get really bright. After that, I don't remember anything else," Tomoyo replied.

"Well, after Tomoyo disappeared on the rock, Abner appeared and helped me look for her. After searching the rock for some clues, he told me to go to sleep and look later. After that, I remember suddenly being by Tomoyo and… That's all," Meiling said.

"Ok. Well, to answer your question: you're not in a cage. You can walk through it whenever you want, though I suggest you stay in the shield that I've put up. You can move around, just make sure you stay close together," Shadow said.

Tomoyo stepped up to the bars of the cage and stepped through them, realizing that it must be one of Shadow's cards. "Why do we have to stay together?"

"I have The Shield following the two of you around, but it can't follow both of you if you're not together, and we don't want you possessed again," Shadow replied.

"Thank you, Shadow. Can you tell us where Sakura and everybody else are?" Tomoyo asked.

"Sakura's with Altarrin again, unless something's happened to her since Altarrin re-kidnapped her. As for everyone else, they were supposed to be on guard duty. The two of you took out Sigma, Candice and Eriol, and Abner's been missing for a while. Everyone else should still be on duty around here. Oh, and Solana went out looking for you, so that leaves Tyrell and Matriana."

"We… took out Sigma, Candice and Eriol? With what?"

"I suppose I ought to tell you the whole story. To begin, you and Tomoyo were 'brainwashed' by someone. Then you two were apparently sent to find Sakura and you came here to ask me where Sakura was. Anyhow, the person that 'brainwashed' you channeled his/her energy through you and was able to take out Candice, Eriol, and Tomoyo."

"So, where are they now?" Tomoyo asked.

"I don't know. Eriol and Sigma are captured and I only know that you did something to Candice because you had her dragon."

"So where's Li?" Meiling asked.

"He's been taken by Altarrin. I'm sure we'll get him back with Sakura. So, let's go find the other rulers, or at least Tyrell and Matriana, and go look for the other rulers. We'll find Sakura after that, ok?"

"Sure, we'll wait here while you find Tyrell, and that looks like Matriana coming towards us."

"Shadow! What happened? I felt a strong surge of energy here, and then ran into an invisible barrier while trying to get here!" Matriana yelled as she approached.

"Oh, not much. The person that's controlling you now was controlling Tomoyo and Meiling here, which means I can assume that Tyrell's not feeling like himself either. Good day," Shadow replied, silently forming a shield around himself.

"So, you're strong enough to sense me. Well, no matter!" Matriana said in a deep voice.

A strong aura surrounded her as she finished speaking and a large bolt of energy sprang from her fingertips, heading straight for Shadow. Inches from hitting him, the energy collided with his shield, shattering it to pieces. A moment later, Matriana unleashed another bolt which collided with Shadow and knocked him into a tree.

"Now then, Shadow, tell me where Sakura is!"

"I've already told you everything I know. If you want to find her, go ahead. Until then, I have nothing more to say to you."

"Tell me something, Shadow. Do you not care that I hold the power to destroy you right now? Is this how you speak to someone that could destroy you by lifting a finger?"

"Yes, it is. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to find Sakura," Shadow said, getting up off the ground.

"Stop where you are!" Matriana commanded. "You may not know where Sakura is, but you can give me a general direction. Tell me, where is she?"

"I told you last time. Go north a bit and you should find her. Now, my fight is not with you, at least not until you have Sakura. So, until then, you may do as you please," Shadow replied, turning his back on Matriana.

Moments later, Matriana sent another bolt of energy at Shadow. Shadow jumped into the air only to be hit by another stream of energy from Tyrell, suddenly in front of him. Tyrell made a motion in the air and sent Shadow flying backwards into another tree, knocking him unconscious.

"I'll deal with you later! For now, I'm off to find Sakura," Tyrell said, walking off with Matriana.

* * *

"Sakura, how are you?" Altarrin asked in a malevolent voice. "Last time, I asked you to decide how you wanted me to torture you, but you ran off instead. So today, I'll have to make that decision for you!"

Sakura slowly groaned awake, only barely realizing what was happening. A moment later, she was zapped by a bolt of electricity coming from a Ring on her wrist.

"Seeing as you somehow managed to get the Fire Ring off, I decided to use the Lightning one instead. I assume that meddling Shadow has the Fire Ring. No matter, I'll have fun with you until I get it back from him," Altarrin said, forming a glowing whip in his hands.

"No! Stop!" Sakura said, backing into a corner.

Altarrin's eyes turned a cold blue and Lightning energy sprang from the Ring on Sakura's wrist, causing her to writhe in pain. Altarrin lifted his whip above his head and brought it down on Sakura's back, tearing through her shirt and flesh. Fifteen minutes later, Altarrin stopped, leaving Sakura to cry in her tiny, filthy room.

_Why? I want to go home… I never did anything!_ Sakura thought. A moment later, the door to her room opened and Lloyd walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Sakura, just hold on for a while. I'm sure you'll figure a way out of this. Don't cry," Lloyd said, walking over to her with a bowl of healing salve.

"I… I can't! Li's been captured by Altarrin, and he won't even listen to me anymore. It's like he's not even there. What am I supposed to do now? Every time Shadow or someone saves me, Altarrin just comes and takes me back. I can't think of what else to do!" Sakura yelled as Lloyd rubbed the salve across her back.

"Well, I can't help you there. Just remember the Prophecy that you know and try to fulfill what you're supposed to. I've got to go… I'll come visit again with some food for you. Sakura, just promise me that you won't give up hope. You've come too far to do that now," Lloyd said, backing away to the door.

"I promise," Sakura replied, smiling slightly.

A few hours later, Sakura woke up and searched her mind for something she could do. Every plan she came up with was discarded until finally, she thought of something. _What if I use these new cards? Maybe they can do something for me._

Sakura got to her feet and took out her Star key and began her incantation. "Release!" she called, remembering to pull Dark energy from the Realm.

She grabbed her Staff as it appeared and took out the golden card she had found on the roof of Shadow's castle.

_Please, if you do something, do it now!_ Sakura thought, throwing the card up into the air and channeling only her magical energies into it. As she brought her staff near the card, it began to glow eerily before making a loud, explosive noise and sending Sakura flying into the wall.

_What happened?_ Sakura thought, regaining some of her senses. She looked down at the card that she had attempted to use and took it in her hands.

The card looked exactly the same as it had before except for one thing. Now, there was a name on the card, embroidered in silver, the words, "The Spirit" could be seen at the bottom of the card.

_Spirit? What am I supposed to do with this?_

"You!" Altarrin yelled as he bolted down the stairs. "Here you are trying to escape again! I will break your spirit if it takes me a millennium!" Altarrin formed the glowing whip in his hands and brought it down near Sakura. An inch away from Sakura's face, a strong aura activated and sent Altarrin flying back into the stairs.

"Spirit!" Sakura yelled angrily, using the new card and hoping that it would do something. For a split second, Sakura thought the Card wouldn't work. She had forgotten to draw Dark energy into the Card before using it. Surprisingly, the Card hovered in the air and started glowing a fierce red. Moments later, the red flowed from the card onto the ground, forming a mass of energy which immediately took on a shape.

Altarrin got to his feet and stared at the energy, knowing immediately what they were. "You! How did you summon that?" he asked, sending crescent shaped energy at the mass of energy.

Altarrin's crescent shots disappeared as they collided with the red energy on the ground which had taken the shape of a large dragon. The dragon sent forth a large bolt of energy and set Altarrin on fire before flapping its giant wings and blowing Altarrin up the stairs.

Next, the dragon took Altarrin in its claws and flew him into the nearest wall, easily knocking him unconscious. As a finishing move, the dragon slashed Altarrin with it's fore claws, leaving deep, bloody gashes and setting his clothes afire. As the dragon completed its task, it's form broke up and the golden Card formed in it's place. The Card gently glided towards Sakura's unconscious form and landed softly at her hand as if caressing its new owner.

* * *

"Sakura, wake up!" Lloyd said, shaking Sakura awake.

"Wh-what happened?" Sakura asked as she slowly sat up.

"You did something with one of your cards and defeated Altarrin for now. Then you passed out. Are you ok?" Lloyd asked, seeming to be extremely concerned.

"I'm fine, thank you. I'm glad you reminded me not to give up. Have you seen Li?" Sakura asked.

"No. Altarrin's disappeared as well. Right after you fell unconscious, his body disappeared. I think he may have somehow teleported away. Anyhow, I'm sure he knows that I'm on your side by now. Here, have something to drink," Lloyd said, offering Sakura a glass of water.

Sakura took the water and quickly drank it before struggling to her feet. "Lloyd, do you know where everyone else is?"

"Sorry, I have no clue where anyone is, though I'm sure we'll eventually find them all again. What are you going to do now?"

"I'll stay here, I guess. I think I've fulfilled the first two parts of the Prophecy, and maybe the fourth. But the third still confuses me. Lloyd, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I need you to tell me everything you know about what I'm supposed to do to and what Altarrin wants me for."

"Well, Altarrin wants you to fulfill certain Dark Prophecies. He's going to drain the energy from your body, somehow, and use it with the energy of the seven Spirits to open a gateway and destroy the Realms. As for what you're supposed to do, you're supposed to prevent this from happening by the Prophecy that you've already heard."

Sakura stared off into space for a while before sitting back down and deciding to sleep. "Lloyd, wake me up if there's anything wrong please. I'm a bit tired…" Sakura said, yawning and quickly falling asleep.

"Good night, Sakura."

* * *

Eriol groaned awake in a small, steel cage, realizing that he'd been captured.

_Ow… Whoever was controlling Tomoyo is extremely strong…_ he thought, sitting up and looking around for Sigma. Sigma lay in a small steel cage, much like Eriol's across the dark room. Next to his cage, was a small door and a candle. Eriol examined the rest of the dome shaped room and found Candice in a cage nearby. After thoroughly examining the room, Eriol leaned against the back of his cage and lost himself in his thoughts.

A while later, a voice echoed through the room. "So, you're all awake now. Well, get comfortable here. It'll be a while before you're set free," the voice said, laughing as it finished.

"Sigma, can you do anything to get us out of these cages?" Candice asked.

"No, I can't seem to access the Power Sphere from here. I suppose you haven't had any luck either," Sigma replied. "Eriol, can you use your magic?"

"Yes, I can. Give me a while to decide what I want to do. It's probably not a good idea to just get out of here unless we know where we can go. I'll take a look at some escape routes first and then we can decide what we want to do."

"Alright, but make it quick. I have a feeling that something big is about to happen," Sigma said.

Suddenly, the candle in the room went out, leaving the room pitch dark. A moment later, Eriol stood up and released his staff, shining a red light on the two rulers in the room with him. "Ok, as soon as I break us out of here, the two of you should be able to access whatever Spheres you need to. Keep in mind that we are still in the Dark Realm so Candice, your magic won't work as well here. Ready?"

"Wait, I thought you said you were going to look for escape routes. What happened to those?" Sigma asked.

"Well, I figured that if you two could access your powers, we could just blow through the wall. If not, I have a route that we could take. Anyhow, let's go."

Eriol spun his staff a few times and made the front of the cages disappear, releasing the prisoners behind them. After Sigma and Candice stepped out of their cages, they drew energy from their respective Power Spheres and destroyed the wall separating them from the outside.

"Good, now we can get going," Eriol said, jumping through the hole.

"How far down are you?" Sigma asked when he couldn't see Eriol anymore.

"It's not too far. You can just jump! To be safe, though, you can take a piece of the earth and float down on it," Eriol replied from the bottom of the weird, dome-shaped structure.

"Alright, I'm coming," Sigma replied, weaving Earth energy around a large slab of rock at the bottom and levitating it up to him. "Let's go, Candice."

"Right behind you. Eriol, do you have any idea where everyone else is?"

"Yes, but not much. They're pretty far away. And as soon as you get down, I suggest that you be very careful and alert. Whoever captured us might have noticed the large explosion as we broke out," Eriol said, watching as the large slab of rock appeared out of the darkness above him.

"It's really dark here right now. I don't think I've ever seen it this dark before," Sigma said, helping Candice off the rock. "You were here during the war. Do you remember it ever being so dark?"

"No, but then again, I don't remember much of this place. I never liked the Dark Realm. There were too many creatures here that just wait for you to let your guard down," Candice replied.

"Ok, let's go. We should look for Shadow first. He's nearest, and I can barely feel Tyrell and Matriana. Solana is between them and Shadow. Ready?" Eriol asked.

"We're ready. Let's go," Sigma replied.

The three of them set out to the east, heading towards Shadow without stopping for anything. An hour or two later, they found Shadow sitting on the ground with his legs crossed under him.

"Shadow, where's everyone else gone?" Eriol asked as he approached.

"They, or at least Tyrell and Matriana, were 'brainwashed' and teamed up to get rid of me for a while. Sakura is fine at the moment. She seems to have just tapped into a really strong power and Lloyd should be with her now. Altarrin is still around, and there's nothing more we can do but sit here and wait for Li to arrive. Unless these cards are very wrong, Li will be coming here shortly," Shadow replied.

"What do you mean by, 'unless these Cards are very wrong?'" Sigma asked.

"Clow Cards have the ability to predict the future when used correctly. Shadow has apparently been sitting here using them to do just that. Tell me, how did you determine that Li would be coming here?" Eriol asked.

"That's not important. Just know that he'll be here soon. Sakura should be following right after him. Until then, there's nothing that we can do," Shadow replied.

"Fine, for once I'll have to agree with you. I've got nothing better to do and I could use a nice, long rest. Now, if you really want me to be happy with you, tell me you have some food for me," Candice said, sitting down on a small, flat rock.

"Can't help you there. I don't think there's any food nearby, since you burned down the forest. Actually, I wouldn't have eaten anything in that forest anyways. If you want some food, we can journey back to the castle quickly, or I could make for you some fake food with the Illusion Card. Any preferences?" Shadow replied sarcastically.

"Do you have something against me trying to be nice to you?"

"No, I just think that you're smart enough to know that there isn't any food without me having to tell you. Anyhow, we've got nothing better to do, so let's hear the story of where you've been," Shadow said, getting ready for a long tale.

"There's not much that's happened. We were knocked unconscious by Tomoyo, and woke up in a dark room in some cages. Then, Eriol did something to dissipate the fronts of the cages and we blew up the wall to get out. After that, we walked for an hour or two and found you, sitting here like you were meditating or something," Sigma said. "I'm sure Candice's story is nearly the same, except she was knocked out somewhere else, right?"

"Yes, those two had some really strong magic with them. So, do you have any idea when Solana might be here?"

"That's her in the distance. If you light a flare of sorts, she'll see it and land nearby. I don't think she can quite see us," Shadow said, pointing off to the east.

"How can you see her?" Sigma asked.

"Well, I'm the ruler of this Realm, so I have to have gotten used to the dark by now. In other words, I can see further than all of you because I use Dark magic to extend my viewing range in the Dark Realm," Shadow replied. "Now, if you would do us the favor of lighting a flare, please."

"Sure, I'll make you a flare," Candice said, channeling some Fire energy into Shadow's clothes and setting them afire.

"Very funny," Shadow said, extinguishing himself by destroying the Fire energy that started the flames.

"Shadow! I couldn't find them. Have any of you had any luck?" Solana asked, landing next to Shadow.

"Well, we've got a nice long story to tell you, if that makes you feel better. You could say that we've had some luck," Sigma replied.

"So, tell Solana our story. Make sure you're on the lookout for Li. He'll be here shortly. Until then, I'll lay here and relax. Wake me up when Li's nearby, ok Eriol?"

"Sure thing," Eriol said solemnly. _Though I think he already is…_

* * *

Well, there's a chapter for you… I hope to have the next chapter up really soon… seeing as its summer vacation. As for everything else that's usually at the end of these chapters, I think I'll skip it (except for the challenge, of course). In short, I'll let you decide what you want to remember. So, the challenge, condensed again, who's Shadow, what does he want, what's the point of his existence… well, that's the short version… go read the other chapters to find out what the full version is… I think it starts in chpt… oh… try 9… 


	21. Old Friend, New Enemy

Author's Note: Well, here's the chapter, hopefully its good, it was done pretty quickly, but I have time now so…

Previously:

Shadow got beaten up (to some of you, this is good. To others, you hated that) and Sigma and Eriol were captured along with Candice. Matriana and Tyrell are now under the control of some strange guy. Well, then Sigma and Candice and Eriol found their way out of captivity and ended up back with Shadow. They find Solana flying towards them and the chapter ends. Oh, ya… Sakura seems to be able to summon Spirits all of a sudden. Wonder where that's going to go…

**Chapter 21: Old Friend, New Enemy**

"So, you mean to tell me that you found Tomoyo and Meiling, but that they were possessed? Well, where are they now?" Solana asked.

"Not sure. The shield I put around them went away when I was knocked unconscious," Shadow said, startling everyone that thought he was asleep.

"You… you're awake? Wait… when did you get knocked unconscious?" Sigma asked.

"Yes, I'm awake. I just couldn't sleep with all the excitement," Shadow said sarcastically. "As for when I was knocked unconscious: I haven't told you yet. After the two of you were taken by our friend that has some possession skills, Matriana appeared and was 'possessed' by the same person. Anyhow, she and Tyrell knocked me unconscious. They said something about getting back to me later as I lost consciousness, but I don't quite remember exactly what. As for Tomoyo and Meiling, I knew they were coming and put The Shield around them to stop whatever spell was being used to control them. It worked, but when I lost consciousness, Shield stopped working and they were probably taken or are hiding somewhere," Shadow explained.

"Ok. So what do we do about this new guy? I mean, who is he?" Solana asked.

"Someone that wants Sakura badly enough to go after Altarrin. I wonder if he'd be willing to join our side," Sigma said.

"You're optimistic today, Sigma," Shadow said. "What makes you think that he'd want to join up with us? He knocked me, Candice, you and Eriol unconscious."

"Shadow, is something the matter? You seem to be slightly… aggravated right now. You're normally a lot calmer than this, though not much less sarcastic," Sigma asked, slightly concerned.

"I'm fine. Just a little worried about Sakura. Anyhow, Li's off in the distance and Altarrin's with him. They're waiting for Sakura and I'm pretty sure they don't know we're here," Shadow said. "If we go ahead of them a little bit, we should be able to get to Sakura first. I'm sure she's probably going to come here."

"Are you sure?" Solana asked.

"Not at all, but I can hope. Sakura won't stay where she is for long. Chances are she's resting after tapping into whatever power she's tapped into and will start looking for us soon."

"You seem to know a lot about Sakura," Eriol said under his breath to Shadow.

"So, let's go," Shadow said as he ignored Eriol's comment.

"Where do you know Sakura from? I haven't seen you before and you can't have learned so much about Sakura in the past month or two," Eriol said quietly.

"Actually, it's only been three weeks, but that doesn't help me any. You're smart, Eriol, or at least from what I remember. You should be able to figure it out."

"So, you know me as well. Who are you?" Eriol asked.

"It wouldn't be any fun if I just told you. It'll be much more rewarding for you to just figure it out for yourself. Anyhow, we've got more important things to attend to at the moment. Sakura's not safe yet," Shadow replied, turning from Eriol.

"Alright, let's go around Altarrin and Li. They don't have to know that we're here," Sigma said.

The others nodded in agreement and took a ninety-degree turn. They walked about ten yards before turning left and heading another twenty yards.

"Well, if anyone wants food now, we've got Solana on Zephyr to bring us some. If you could just get us something from the castle, I think we'd all be happy. Sakura may be a little while yet," Candice said, still extremely hungry.

"Sure, I'll go get us all some food," Solana said. "Umm… can you tell me where the castle is?"

"Head south for about two miles and you should see it to your right. If you see a large, dark structure, assume that it's the castle and go check it out. If it's a mountain, go further south," Shadow said. "Oh, and if you're going to bring food, try to bring me a frying pan and the tiny cooler that I keep next to it."

"Sure thing. So, south for two miles it is," Solana exclaimed cheerily. Solana turned Zephyr around and sped south as quickly as Zephyr's wings would take her.

"So, where's Sakura going to be coming from, Shadow?" Sigma asked.

"Well, last I felt her magic, she was further to the north. If she's coming anytime soon, she'll be coming from there. Let's just camp out here and wait," Shadow replied, sitting down on a tiny rock.

"Shadow, what if Sakura doesn't decide to come look for us?"

"She'll come, don't worry. If she's not here in another few hours, we can go look for her. Until then, we've got nothing better to do than to sit here. We can't just abandon Li, after all, right?"

* * *

"Sakura, I think you should probably wake up now," Lloyd said quietly, nudging Sakura awake.

"Hmm? Lloyd? Oh, right. Thank you. Do you know where the others are? I think I feel someone a bit to the south, but I don't know who that is. Do you feel anything?"

"Yes. Altarrin's down to the south a bit, and I think Shadow and… hmm… some other strange aura is nearby. Let's go. I'm sure Shadow will be able to find us before Altarrin does."

"But what about this other strange aura you were just talking about? Do you have any idea who it is?"

"No, not really. I'm sure we'll be ok. The aura that I feel isn't a strong one. Definitely a lot weaker than Shadow and Altarrin. We'll be fine," Lloyd said, taking Sakura's hand. "Let's go."

Sakura followed Lloyd south for a while before she suddenly felt as if she was being watched. "Lloyd!" she whispered urgently. "There's someone here, watching us!"

"Yes, I know. It's the person I was talking about earlier, with the strange aura," Lloyd whispered back.

"Boo!" came a playful voice behind Sakura, causing her to jump a few feet into the air.

Immediately, Lloyd embraced the Lightning Sphere and sent a bolt of electricity between Sakura and her attacker. "Who are you?"

"Stop it! I was just having some fun!" a young girl said, shielding herself from Lloyd's electricity with a weak Light infused shield.

"Elaine!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought your dad told you to stay home?"

"He did, but… There's something important I needed to tell you before I left. Every time I come to it, though, I can't remember what it is. Sakura, don't let my father know I'm here. Just let me stay with you, ok?"

"Ok…" Sakura replied uneasily. "I suppose I can do that, but shouldn't you listen to your dad?"

"Yes, I know. But… something inside me tells me that he's wrong. Look, I won't be a burden or anything, ok? I'll help you out," Elaine said pleadingly.

"Sure, We don't mind," Sakura said. "Let's go then."

"Thanks. I promise, after I remember what I wanted to tell you, I'll go to the nearest Portal and leave, ok?"

"Ok," Sakura replied. "So, Elaine, what's it like being the daughter of a powerful ruler? Does he push you really hard so that you'll be able to take his place later on?"

"Sometimes, but it's not too bad. Hey, who's that guy?" Elaine whispered.

"His name is Lloyd. He used to work for Altarrin, but he's on our side now," Sakura answered.

"Oh, I guess that's a good thing. Lloyd… Why does that name sound so familiar?" Elaine thought aloud to herself.

"Lloyd, you haven't said anything since Elaine's gotten here. Is something wrong?"

"I remember her from somewhere. I remember that face, with someone else… Something's not right," Lloyd replied grimly.

"But this is Elaine, Abner's daughter. There can't be anything wrong with her!" Sakura whispered fiercely.

"There may not be, but I'm bringing up bad memories. I don't know what. Wait, you said Abner… He… Who is he?"

"Abner's the ruler of the Light Realm. Lloyd, I'm sure you're just a bit stressed out. There's nothing wrong with Elaine," Sakura said soothingly.

"You're right. It's not Elaine. It was… someone else. We… We'll talk about this later. When she's not around, ok? I need to speak to Shadow as soon as possible."

"Sakura, Look!" Elaine yelled, pointing to the dark sky.

"What is it?"

"Don't you see? Those colors, in the sky. They're beautiful," Elaine said, mesmerized by a wavy line of color.

"Wow!" Sakura said, staring at the wavy lights. "What are they?"

"Sakura, we should probably get going. I need to speak to Shadow as soon as I can," Lloyd said, taking Sakura's arm. "Come on, let's go."

"Wait, can we just stop for a minute, please?" Sakura asked, her eyes fixed on the lights.

"I've got a bad feeling about this. Let's go. We can't stay here. Sakura? Sakura! We have to go!" Lloyd said, raising his voice a little.

"Alright fine, let's go. Elaine, you coming?"

"Huh? Oh, ya, I'm coming," Elaine said, taking her eyes from the lights.

A moment later, the three of them heard a loud snap behind them followed by a deafening moan. "Wh-what was that?" Sakura asked, plugging her ears."

"Probably some creature that made those lights on purpose and wanted some food," came Shadow's voice up ahead.

"Shadow? Where are you?" Sakura asked.

"I'm right here. Now, come on. The others are waiting for you. We've got some important news that you need to hear."

"Why can't you just tell me right now?" Sakura asked.

"Because I need you to come with me. Don't worry about it, Sakura. Let's go," Shadow said, grabbing Sakura's arm and yanking her away from Lloyd.

"Ow! Shadow, you're hurting me! Let go!"

Shadow turned to face Sakura with his two glowing red eyes. "Never!" he yelled, and pushed Sakura into the ground. "You're mine now!"

"Sakura!" Lloyd yelled, placing himself between Shadow's form and Sakura. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter! Sakura is mine now!" the creature said, changing into the shape of a _sphienent_ and lunging at Lloyd.

Lloyd met the _sphienent_ head on and filled himself with Lightning energy, sending an electric current through the _sphienent_ as it made contact with him. The _sphienent_ let out a loud scream before glowing a bright red and grabbing Sakura with one of its many tentacles. "If you shock me, you shock her!" it said before grabbing Lloyd and throwing him back a few feet.

"Sakura!" Lloyd yelled, charging at the _sphienent_ and grabbing Sakura's arm. "Sakura, this is going to hurt, but I need you to hang on, ok?"

After a slight nod from Sakura, Lloyd sent a current through the _sphienent_, causing both it and Sakura to scream in pain. Moments later, a bright stream of light pierced the _sphienent's_ tentacles and disintegrated their ends. "Elaine! What did you do?"

"Well, I promised to help, and since that nasty _sphienent_ wasn't watching me, I prepared a spell I learned and chopped off its tentacles," Elaine said quietly, smiling weakly for a while before suddenly passing out.

"Gwaaaahh! You'll pay for this!" the _sphienent_ yelled as Lloyd pummeled it with one bolt of electricity after another, causing it to flee.

"Sakura! Sakura! Wake up!" Lloyd yelled, shaking Sakura in his arms.

"Ow," Sakura groaned, sitting up and looking around. "Thanks for rescuing me," Sakura said, forcing a smile.

"I'm sorry. I should have felt that it was a _sphienent_. Those things are Lightning creatures, after all. I'll be more alert. For now, we can't go anywhere. At least not until Elaine wakes up."

"I think I'll get some rest too. Thanks again, Lloyd," Sakura said as she curled up on the ground and fell asleep.

"You're welcome," Lloyd replied.

"Good night."

"We'll have to leave soon, ok? I'll wake you up when its time," Lloyd said, putting a small shield around Sakura, Elaine and himself. _If we don't get to Shadow soon…_

* * *

"Eriol, where have your guardians gone?" Sigma asked, getting off his floating rock.

"They're nearby. Keroberos probably got everybody lost trying to find where Shadow was. I sent them ahead, but it seems that I've gotten further than they have," Eriol replied, not turning to face Sigma.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Not much," Eriol replied, staring off into the darkness.

The four of them sat in a small field of rocks, waiting for Sakura's approach. Shadow sat crossed-legged, with his back turned to everyone. Similarly, sat Eriol, just about back to back with Shadow, were it not for the three or four yards between them. Moments later, Solana flew back with a frying pan and a portable cooler.

"Shadow, is this the pan you wanted?"

"If it wasn't, I couldn't ask you to go back for another one anyways, so yes. Now, let me see the cooler," Shadow said, turning around for the first time in the last hour or so.

"Here."

Shadow opened the cooler and everyone except for Eriol leaned towards him to see what was in it. Moments later, Shadow took out a few eggs and kindly asked Candice to light a fire with a few logs he also pulled out of the cooler.

"Light a fire? I'll light a fire if you promise that I get a nice juicy steak or something. I'm not lighting a fire just for a few eggs!" Candice replied angrily.

"Well, the eggs were supposed to be an appetizer, but if you'd like to skip them, I'll go straight to that steak that you want so badly," Shadow said, pulling out a large t-bone steak from the cooler.

Candice stared at it a while before setting the logs aflame without another word. About twenty minutes later, Shadow finished cooking the steak and partitioned it among the rulers, asking if Eriol wanted any.

"Sure, I'll have a bit. Just leave something on a plate for me. I'll get to it in a minute," Eriol said, still staring off into the distance.

"If you say so, though it'll probably be gone if you don't hurry," Shadow warned, going back to the fire. "Well, there's your steak. You should probably share it, and I'll start another one. If anyone wants any pork, I've got that too."

Shadow pulled out a package of pork from his cooler and started to fry that as well, along with a couple of eggs. As he finished, Eriol turned around and joined in the feast, talking with Sigma about his home and what it was like.

"After this is all over, you're going to have to invite me over for a visit. I'll be the first to write a book of the other worlds that aren't included in the Realms."

"Well, when this is over, I'll have to find a way to get all of us there first. I hope it's in one of your books, because otherwise, I might be stuck here a while."

"Don't worry. I've got your way back," Shadow said, jumping into their conversation.

"What's your idea?" Sigma asked.

"It's not an idea. Here, this is the book that you gave Li a while ago. I got it from him before he… turned on us. Take a look at it. One of the pages has a return spell," Shadow replied, giving both Eriol and Sigma some more food.

As Eriol and Sigma paged through the ancient book, Shadow walked around dishing out food to everyone. After everyone was satisfied and full, they set up a watch in shifts and let everyone rest for a while.

"I'll go ahead and take the first watch," Shadow said, sitting on a rock and gazing into the darkness. "You guys can have a rest for a while."

"Sure. I'm tired enough to sleep for a while," Candice said, laying down on the floor.

"Just enjoy your sleep. There's not much else we can do right now."

* * *

"Sakura, wake up. We should get going now," Lloyd said, shaking Sakura awake again.

Slowly, Sakura woke up and nodded, getting to her feet. She took a canteen from Lloyd and had a quick drink before rousing Elaine. The three of them set out again towards where Lloyd felt Shadow. After a few hours of walking through the darkened world, they came to the edge of a small forest. "Sakura, be careful. Make sure to watch where you step," Lloyd warned, taking a step into the forest.

"I'll be fine. Thanks for worrying," Sakura replied, smiling at Lloyd. "Come on, Elaine. Let's go."

Elaine followed Sakura into the forest and the two of them walked a while before coming to what looked like a giant cliff.

"Lloyd, can you see the bottom?" Elaine asked quietly.

"No, and I don't think I want to. Let's find a bridge or something. We shouldn't have too far left to go."

"We don't have to find anything. I'll take care of it," Sakura said, beginning her incantation to release her Star staff. "Float!"

The Float hovered in the air for a moment and fell to Sakura's feet as the Star Key in Sakura's hand remained unchanged. "Oh, right. I need to draw energy from the Realm."

Lloyd turned to Sakura and nodded. "Let's find that bridge. Drawing energy from a Realm is hard work for beginners and I think I see a bridge off to our left. Let's go." The three of them cautiously made their way to the bridge, being very careful not to step on any loose rocks that may send them tumbling into the dark depths below. As they arrived, Lloyd inspected the bridge thoroughly, sending out probing streams of Lightning energy to check its stability. When he was satisfied, Lloyd walked across the bridge, testing it out for Sakura before motioning for her to follow.

Sakura and Elaine followed Lloyd across the bride shortly after and the three of them continued south through the forest.

"Sakura, something's not right," Lloyd said an hour later.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. There's something about this forest. As if… I don't know. Close your eyes. Tell me if you feel anything strange," Lloyd replied.

Sakura closed her eyes and felt the world around her. After a while, she opened them again and stared off to her left. "There's something over there," she said, taking a step forward.

Lloyd and Elaine followed Sakura out of the forest and found a large, dead tree in front of them.

"It's coming from here," Sakura said, backing away. "Any ideas?"

"Yes, just one!" came a raspy voice from the tree as a stream of electrified water shot out from the tree and hit Sakura.

"Sakura, are you ok?" Lloyd asked, running over to help her up.

"I… I'll be fine. Take care of Elaine," Sakura said attempting to release her staff. "Shield!"

Just as another stream of electric water shot from the tree, Lloyd erected a strong shield comprised of pure Lightning energy. Sakura blushed and turned to Lloyd. "Sorry, I forgot again."

"Well, you can use that shield all you want, but it won't hold forever. You may as well give up now," came the voice again.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked.

"Don't you recognize us?"

Sakura turned around frantically, unsure where the voice was coming from. Suddenly, a stream of water ran into Lloyd's shield from behind her. "Who are you?" Sakura asked again.

"I'm Matriana," came the raspy voice as Matriana stepped out into the open.

"And I'm Tyrell. I'm surprised you don't recognize us," another voice said as Tyrell stepped out behind Sakura.

"No! You can't be!" Lloyd yelled, staring at the two rulers in horror. "You can't be against us!"

"But we are! We were never on your side. You thought that the all-powerful rulers of the Realms would care what happened to a little girl like you, Sakura? We couldn't care less! The only reason we ever did anything was to gain your trust and hand you over to be slaughtered. There's no reason at all for us to continue to protect you. You should have stayed with Altarrin while you had the chance!" Tyrell said, surrounding himself in Lightning energy.

"No," Sakura whispered. "No! You can't mean that. There must be something wrong!"

"Afraid not. We're here to take you away now, but don't worry, it won't hurt too much. Just come quietly and we'll spare your two little friends there. Who is that, Lloyd and… Elaine! What are you doing here?" Matriana said, suddenly looking very concerned.

"You're not yourself, Matriana. I hope this spell works!" Elaine said, unleashing a soothing wave of Light energy at Matriana and Tyrell before collapsing from the effort.

As the energy washed over them, Matriana and Tyrell fell unconscious. A few minutes later, they awoke with a start and stared blankly at Sakura.

"Sakura! We're so glad you're ok!" Matriana said, getting to her feet.

"But… Where are we? I thought we were… standing guard for Shadow… How did we… What happened?" Tyrell asked, looking around in bewilderment.

"Umm… You were just attacking me and Elaine said you weren't yourself before casting a spell and knocking you out. I guess you must have been possessed or something, but I don't know. You seemed very shocked when you noticed that Elaine was here," Sakura said, staring worriedly at the two rulers.

"Now we _have_ to get to Shadow. I'm sure of it now. We have to hurry," Lloyd said, picking up Elaine. "Come on, Sakura. We have to go!"

Sakura followed after Lloyd, using the Dash Card to speed Lloyd, Matriana, Tyrell and herself up. "Why do we need to get to Shadow?"

"Because! I'll let you know when we get there," Lloyd said, running towards Shadow's aura.

A few minutes later, he found Eriol on watch with Shadow nowhere in sight. "Eriol, where's Shadow?" Sakura asked, looking around.

"He should be over there some ways. He said something about wanting to be alone and walked off. Sakura, are you ok?" Eriol asked, slightly surprised to see Sakura run up out of nowhere.

"I'll be fine. Lloyd needs to talk with Shadow and Matriana and Tyrell are here too," Sakura replied, going off to find Shadow.

Matriana and Tyrell stayed behind, waking up the other rulers and asking them if they had any idea what might have happened while Sakura took Lloyd to find Shadow.

"Wait. Let me drop off Elaine," Lloyd said, going back and putting Elaine down next to the talking rulers. "Ok, let's go."

"Sakura!" Shadow yelled, running up to her. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, but Lloyd has something important to tell you!" Sakura replied.

"Shadow, we have a problem. I remember where I've heard Abner's name before and it's not good. You see he's…"

"Right here!" came Abner's voice as he appeared in front of them.

"Abner! Get away! You're not getting Sakura!" Lloyd yelled, absorbing Lightning energy and preparing to unleash it on Abner.

"And who's going to stop me? I've made it this far, gotten this close, and you think you can stop me? I don't care if you have all the rulers on your side! I could lift a finger and send you flying!" Abner yelled malevolently.

"Explain yourself, Abner," Sigma said, coming up behind him with the other rulers.

"I don't have to explain myself to you! Sakura is mine!"

"I don't think so," Shadow said, stepping between Abner and Sakura. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but Sakura's staying here."

"Abner, how could you? After everything we've been through together? Don't you remember anything that we've done?" Sigma asked pleadingly. "You can't be against us!"

"Aww, how touching. Tell me something, Sigma. What happened during the last battle in the war? Tell me. Who died?"

"You and I both know who died," Sigma replied morbidly. "We watched it happen and it was because I was careless enough to let it happen! What does that have to do with anything?"

"Don't you understand yet? Tell everyone, how did she die? Tell the story just as it is!"

"I was careless and let my guard down. And the Light Spirit's sword went straight for me, but Natara jumped in to save me. What's that got to do with anything?"

"Think back, fool! The Light Spirit doesn't carry a sword! I killed Natara, and I've been after you ever since! You actually thought that the Spirit would be so easy to destroy? No one here ever actually faced the Light Spirit! You remember it. The Light Spirit carried a lance and destroyed acres of land with it, but during the final battle, you fought against one with a sword, one that I made from pure Light energy!" Abner shouted, laughing as Sigma realized what had happened.

"You! You destroyed her!" Sigma yelled, filling himself with an enormous amount of Earth energy and forming a giant axe in his hands. "You will pay!"

Sigma jumped into the air, bringing the axe above his head and down on Abner.

Abner lifted a hand and a wave of strange energy flowed from it, knocking Sigma onto back. "You have no hope of defeating me! I have everything, and now, I will have Sakura. My power will be infinite!"

* * *

…… Well…. That means that I'm speechless. If you saw this coming, raise your hand… (meaning email me or review letting me know that you did…). Ok… and if anyone thought that Abner was evil at all, raise your hand (same bit…). Alright then… well, its slightly confusing, huh? Well, the next chapter will clear up a few things… hopefully. Until then:

Solve the challenge! There are only a few chapters left! (Let's say… oh about ten ish… maybe)


	22. Loss of Hope

Author's Note (A/N): Alright, so I'm back to my old pace. Anyhow, this is a nice chapter. I enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy reading. Have fun.

Previously:

Sakura ventures to rejoin the rulers with Lloyd, who claims that there's something important to tell Shadow. Elaine somehow un-brainwashes Tyrell and Matriana and they all run back to Shadow.

(From the last chapter)

"Shadow, we have a problem. I remember where I've heard Abner's name before and it's not good. You see he's…"

"Right here!" came Abner's voice as he appeared in front of them.

"Abner! Get away! You're not getting Sakura!" Lloyd yelled, absorbing Lightning energy and preparing to unleash it on Abner.

**Chapter 22: Loss of Hope**

Abner flew into the air, surrounded in a bubble of potent energy. "You don't stand a chance!" he yelled as he descended near Sakura.

"Leave her alone!" Sigma yelled, throwing a large, Earth energy wrought axe at Abner. The axe collided with him in midair, shattering into tiny pieces before his energy bubble. "No…"

"Nice try!" Abner laughed, landing a foot away from Sakura after blasting Sigma ten feet back. "Come with me, Sakura!"

"She's not going anywhere," Shadow said calmly, raising his staff and transforming it into The Sword. "She stays here." Shadow slashed downwards with his sword and a line of Dark energy appeared from it, cutting through Abner's shield and striking him, sending him flying a few feet away.

"How?" Abner asked furiously. "Nothing can cut this shield!"

"The strength of the Sword depends on the will of its user. To protect Sakura, this sword can do anything," Shadow said, approaching Altarrin.

"Yes, perhaps it can," came a voice from behind Shadow. "But will you use it against me?"

Shadow turned around to see Li standing in front of him, holding in his hands his lightning _ofuda_ and sword. "You can't hurt me, Li Syaoran, and you know I won't hurt you. Take Sakura, if you'd like."

Li grinned evilly before turning from Shadow and walking up to Sakura. "Come, Sakura. Altarrin is waiting for you!"

"Li, you can't do this to me. You can't hurt me! Li, please, remember everything we've been through. You've always been there for me! Why would you stop now?"

Li stopped inches away from Sakura, and convulsed violently. "Sa… Sakura…"

"Li… come on, you can beat what's holding you. I'll help you, like you helped me against Erase. We can do this together," Sakura said pleadingly.

"Sa… Sakura… I… I can't…"

Li brought his sword up to Sakura, tensing, and ready to strike. "Li, listen to me!" Shadow yelled from where he had been standing since Li appeared. "Would you do this to Sakura? Would you bare your blade to her, but not your heart? Do you realize what you're about to do? Remember who you are; remember who she is!"

At this, Li gave out a terrible scream and fell to his knees, sobbing. "Sakura… I almost… I…"

Sakura walked over to Li, holding him and helping him up. "It's ok. You didn't mean it," she said comfortingly.

"Altarrin, show yourself, you coward! You've lost, and you know it. There's nothing that you can do now!" Shadow yelled, waiting for Altarrin to appear.

"You're too late!" Abner yelled from behind Shadow, holding a glowing blade up to Sakura's throat. "One step closer and Sakura dies. You do care about that, don't you?"

Shadow turned to face Abner, staring at him with hatred. "You're a coward. Sakura, there's nothing you can't do. You have to defeat him. I can do nothing now," Shadow said, relaxing and walking over to Li. "Good luck, Sakura."

"That's it? You're just going to leave her? You can't do anything?" Li asked frantically.

"What's there left to do? Look around you, Abner laid waste to all of the rulers," Shadow said, motioning to all the other rulers, lying unconscious on the ground. "And at the moment, he has a sword to Sakura's throat. There's nothing I can do about this. You know there's nothing anyone can do."

"No… I can't lose her again. Not after I almost… No… There has to be something I can do!" Li yelled.

"Well, if you wanted to do something, it's too late now. Abner's taken Sakura already, unless he's still hiding somewhere. Li, I know how hard this is for you, but you have to deal with it. I'm sure Sakura will be ok."

"You don't understand! She can't die now. Not after what we just went through. She can't…"

"I understand. I understand better than you'd think," Shadow said, suddenly looking very grim. "Let's go. We should wake up the other rulers, and finish off Altarrin. Then, we'll just have to put our faith in Sakura. She will find a way out. She'll be ok… no matter what."

* * *

Shadow paced back and forth in his castle, waiting for the other rulers to awaken. "Sigma, you're awake. Are you alright?"

"Where… Where's Sakura?"

"She was taken by Abner. I couldn't do anything about it. Come, help me wake the others. You've got a way with herbs, right?"

"No… Abner… I still can't believe it," Sigma said.

"Shadow, tell me what happened. When did Abner turn on us?" Li asked.

"It'll be better if we tell everyone at the same time, seeing as you'd probably like the whole story and I don't know it all myself. I'll tell you when we get everyone awake."

Sigma walked into the kitchen, looking for his bag of herbs. A little while later, he returned with a pot of slimy liquid. "This should help their wounds. After this, I'll see if I can make something to wake them up, but I don't think they'll appreciate it," Sigma said, walking over to each of the rulers and applying the slimy slave.

"If it tastes that bad, I suggest you just let them rest. If you can provide us with something that tastes acceptable, then we'll work with that," Shadow said. "Unless there's someone here that you really dislike."

"Very funny. Here, help me with some of them," Sigma said, handing Shadow some salve in a separate bowl.

A few moments later, they finished and sat around to talk for a while. "Shadow, let me know what happened," Li said.

"Fine, I'll go over everything. If I leave anything out, Sigma, fill in for me."

"Alright."

"Sakura came running back with Lloyd. Lloyd had something he needed to tell me, so he started talking about Abner. At first, I was a bit confused, but before he finished telling me, Abner jumped in. He talked about the war, about twelve to thirteen years ago. Well, he talked about the last battle, and how… how he killed Sigma's fiancée. It seems he's been out to get us for a while. Anyhow, Sigma attacked and was thrown back a few feet while everyone else, including myself, was still trying to figure out what was happening. When we all decided to jump in, Abner was ready. He put this weird bubble of energy around himself… and all of us just bounced off of it. Lloyd took the worst hit, and flew back some ways, ending up unconscious."

* * *

"We can't attack him head on, there has to be some other way!" Shadow said, staring at the other rulers.

Abner laughed maliciously. "There's nothing you can do to penetrate this shield! I've spent years developing it and its impregnable!" An intoxicating aura surrounded Abner and forced its way outwards, engulfing each of the rulers. "You don't stand a chance!"

All the rulers started slipping backwards, pushed by the aura, except for Shadow and Sigma. "Sigma, we're the strongest two in this Realm. We have to do something if we want to save everyone!"

Sigma put up a strong energy shield around himself and trudged against Abner's waves of power, pressing closer to him. Shadow stood in front of Sigma, helping to block some of the energy coming at them and sending Dark magic at Abner.

"You have no hope of winning! I will crush you all!" Abner said, amplifying the waves and hurling them at the rulers.

"We _will_ win. There's nothing you can do to stop us!" Shadow said, charging at Abner.

"Fool," Abner said quietly before jumping into the air and sending wave after wave of energy down at Shadow.

Shadow dodged and jumped up after Abner, releasing his staff and calling on Arrow. "Arrow, take him down!"

Arrow, infused with Dark energy, sent a flood of Dark energy arrows at Abner, striking and piercing him.

"Ow, that hurts!" Abner said in mock pain, taking Arrow's shots head on. "I told you before, you can't win. This shield of mine is impenetrable!"

"There is nothing that can't be done if you put your heart and mind to it," Sigma yelled, forming a large axe and swinging it at Abner. The axe collided with Abner's shield and stuck for a few seconds before bursting into tiny fragments of Earth energy.

Abner laughed malignantly, launching a concentrated wave of energy at Sigma and sending him flying back. "'There is nothing that can't be done,'" Abner said mockingly.

"Stop! You can't do this!" Elaine yelled, stepping into the fray.

"Elaine, get out of here!" Abner said, motioning for Elaine to step aside.

"No, father, I won't let you hurt them. You can't do this to everyone. I know there has to be something in you, something left of the kind father that I remember. I remember you, years ago, building for me a swing set, through wind and rain, just because you knew how much I wanted it. How could you turn like this? What happened to the kindness you once knew?"

"I told you to go home. You are deliberately disobeying my orders!" Abner yelled. "Leave!"

"I will _not_ leave. Not unless you come with me. Please, father, please come with me. Leave these people alone. We can spend the rest of our lives together in peace. Please!" Elaine yelled, walking towards Abner: walking towards her father.

"The father you once knew is gone. You will either obey my orders, or perish with these fools that have challenged me. Go home, and I will spare your life," Abner yelled, completely unaffected by his daughters words.

"If you would… If… If you would kill your own daughter, then here I stand, ready to die. My only hope is that in doing so, you will realize what you've done wrong. Please, father, please come home with me. Whether in life or in death, it does not matter," Elaine said, tears streaming from her eyes.

"If you will not listen, then you are no longer my daughter! You will die with these other fools!" Abner yelled, sending a torrent of energy at Elaine. Elaine flew, screaming through the air and landed unconscious next to Candice.

"Elaine, are you… alright?" Candice said, struggling to speak against the strain of using Fire magic in this Realm.

"Candice, you can't keep this up. You have to retreat," Matriana said, having less difficulty than Candice.

"No, I will stay here and fight. I will not give up before _he_ does!" Candice said, shooting a look at Shadow.

"Candice, this is no time to let petty rivalries like this cloud your judgment! You know that it's difficult for you to use magic here. Look, Eriol and Solana have already passed out and we had to move them back a bit so Abner's magic wouldn't kill them. You can't just sit here!" Matriana said, urging Candice to retreat.

"Fine, I'll go. Help me… help me… get Elaine…" Candice said weakly, taking Elaine's hand and collapsing on top of her.

"Candice!" Matriana yelled, shaking her. "Candice, get up! You've got to get back!"

"Matriana, we'll have to take her back," Tyrell said. "She's gone for now. Let's go."

"Ok. If only she'd listened a little bid earlier. Shadow! We're leaving this to you and Sigma. Tyrell and I are taking Candice and Elaine back, we need some shelter for a while!"

"Oh no you don't!" Abner yelled, charging at Matriana.

"Look out!"

"I will destroy you all!" Abner yelled, drawing from its sheath a gleaming blue sword and slicing at Matriana.

Matriana ducked just in time but a weird pulsing energy from the sword knocked both her and Tyrell unconscious, leaving them open to Abner's attack.

"You're dead now!" Abner yelled, bringing his sword down on Matriana.

"Shield!" Shadow cried, using the Shield Card moments before Abner's sword hit.

"You again! Fine, you will go first!"

"Sword!" Shadow yelled, transforming his staff into a dark pointed blade. "No one's going anywhere!"

Abner charged at Shadow, slicing at him in different formations. Shadow dodged each of Abner's strikes, each one closer than the last. Finally, he raised his own sword and cut through Abner's blade, turning and holding his sword up to Abner's throat.

"Very nicely done, Shadow, but you're forgetting something. This shield around me, it's still impenetrable!"

"Not now it isn't!" Shadow said, slashing downwards with his sword.

Abner dodged, jumping into the air and going straight for Sakura. "You don't stand a chance!" he said.

"Leave her alone!" Sigma yelled, tossing a giant glowing axe at Abner.

* * *

"And then he tried to take Sakura, but I stopped him, cutting through that shield of his with Sword. After that, you came along. While I was busy with you, I let down my guard and… well, it's my fault that Sakura was caught. But by now there's nothing left to do but wait. Sakura will make it through. I'm sure of it," Shadow said, finishing his story of what happened.

Li remained speechless for a while, staring off into the distance beyond Shadow rather than at him. "No… it's my fault. If I hadn't been weak enough… weak enough to let Altarrin capture me like that, you wouldn't have been distracted by me, and Abner couldn't have gotten near her. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter who's fault it is!" Tyrell said, getting up. "What's important now is that Sakura's obviously captured again. So, what's the plan?"

"We sit and wait. Maybe go after Altarrin. Sakura has to do this alone. We can't change anything now," Shadow replied.

"You mean to tell me that you're leaving the fate of the Realms up to Sakura, some girl we all barely know? Are you crazy? Sure, the Prophecies claim that she'll do fine, but why not help the Prophecies along a bit?"

"Have some faith, Tyrell!" Sigma cried. "Besides, she's proven to be pretty tough in the past. She's survived Altarrin's tortures and even defeated him, if what Shadow says is true. Shadow, did you ever find out how she did that?"

"No, but I'm guessing she used one of the new cards that she recently found, thus fulfilling the first part of the Prophecy completely. The second part may or may not be actually fulfilled, and the third part… I think she's done that already. As for the fourth…"

"Well, she's fought Altarrin, right? Then she's fulfilled that part as well!" Candice said, also getting up.

"You people should really warn us when you get up," Sigma said, having jumped into the air both when Tyrell jumped into the conversation and now as Candice joined in.

"Sorry, we'll let you know next time," Candice replied. "Shadow, seeing as this is your castle, how 'bout some hospitality? Food, a warm fire… all of these would be very nice."

"In a minute. As for her fighting Altarrin, isn't anyone else beginning to have doubts? Do you all truly believe that he made the Spirits?" Shadow replied.

"Well, yes, but who else could it be?" Tyrell asked.

"Think about it. Sakura beat Altarrin, or may as well have. Do you really think that someone who summoned the Spirits a few years ago could be beaten so easily? I believe in Sakura, I truly do, but as strong as the power I felt from her earlier was, it wasn't strong enough to contend with someone who could control the Spirits. Even Abner's power was stronger than Sakura's. Speaking of whom, what about Abner? If Altarrin's the Spiritmaker, why would Abner go after him and to get Sakura?"

"You have a point. Abner did control me to get at Sakura, but…" Matriana said, startling Sigma again.

"Ok, that's it. Shadow, move over, I'm sitting on that side so I can watch as everyone wakes up," Sigma said, moving next to Shadow.

"But…?" Shadow asked, urging Matriana to continue as Sigma cautiously avoided unconscious bodies to move where he could see them.

"I don't know. It doesn't seem to me that Abner could have been controlling me. We're all rulers, and thus we're all about equal in strength. True, some of us have more strength in some Realms, but Abner, in the Dark Realm, couldn't have possibly controlled me. Besides that, he seems to have tapped into some kind of energy. It almost felt like… well, like the Golden Sphere we worked with during the war, though a little different."

"Wait, what are we talking about all of a sudden? Abner's got a new power source?" Solana said, jumping in. Sigma smiled as Solana failed to startle Sigma when she awoke.

"Yes, and Eriol, Lloyd, you may as well talk, you've been awake the entire time, just listening to our conversation," Shadow said, staring at Eriol.

"I've got nothing to say at the moment. I'll let you know if I have any ideas," Eriol replied while Lloyd remained silent, staring off into the distance.

"Fine, but, like Matriana was saying, Abner couldn't have done all of this on his own. The point I was getting to is quite simply, what if there's something more to this? What if there's someone even stronger, the true Spiritmaker, the true Summoner and all of these people we've been dealing with are just his pawns?"

"Well, that can't be either, because Abner went after Altarrin. Perhaps it's something like that though," Solana said, getting up and stretching. "Can we continue this over dinner or something? I'm very hungry again."

"Alright, dinner it is. It's nearly eight at night anyways. You still remember where all your rooms are, right?"

"Yes, we do," the others said in unison.

"Alright, get yourselves seated wherever and I'll bring you some food. The dining room's a mess with the broken ceiling there. I'll have to fix the castle soon as well," Shadow said, muttering to himself as he walked off to the kitchen. (A/N: just making a random comment: the kitchen's still in tact! I guess the monsters were decent enough to leave them with food…)

"Sigma, how's everything going?" Solana asked.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"Oh, you know… what… what Abner said and all… I just… just wanted to know if you were… dealing with it well. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I figure what's done is done. I'll get my revenge on Abner when I get a chance. She's dead either way, and this way, I'll get to get revenge, or at least feel like I am, twice. Thanks for worrying. It's very sweet of you," Sigma said.

Solana blushed furiously, though no one noticed in the dark room. "Your welcome," she said sheepishly before turning away.

"Hey, we should probably wake Elaine. She took a pretty hard hit: both emotionally and physically," Tyrell said, walking over to the sleeping girl.

A while later, Elaine groaned awake and took notice of where she was. "Where… where's my father?"

"He… he left with Sakura. Elaine… I'm sorry that you have to go through all of this," Tyrell said comfortingly. "I just want you to know that all of us are here for you if you ever need it."

"Thank you, but… I just can't believe it. My father… he was always… always so kind. Then one day, I don't remember when, he just changed. He didn't seem to have time for fun and games with me anymore, and anytime I asked, he would just tell me that I was getting too old to play. He put me on all of these different training courses and forced me to get stronger quickly. It was hard, especially since he seemed so distant. But… even then, it seemed like he still loved me. I don't know…" Elaine said, trailing off into tears.

Candice walked over to Elaine and put an arm around her. "I know it's not the same, Elaine, but… I lost my father at a young age as well. He died in a small conflict that we had in the Fire Realm a while ago. My father, he was the guy in charge of all the troops, and he would always fight with his fellow warriors. I was about your age then, and father pushed me to be better than all the other children. He would always tell me that there was a spark in me: a spark of energy that no one else had. When the conflict started, he told me that he was going away for a while, and that I should stay with my mother, at home and safe. I did as I was told and waited day after day for him to return, gaining more strength everyday and working to impress him when he would return."

"What was the matter with the Realm?" Solana asked, interrupting Candice.

"The ruler was sick and didn't have any heirs. The normal, classic tale, I suppose. Though he did have a son. But, on his deathbed, he quite clearly told everyone that was there, my father included, that he didn't want his son as the next ruler. He said that his son was too immature and that so much power in his hands would lead to destruction. When he died, the quarrel began. His son wanted to inherit the throne despite his father's wishes. Some were loyal to the old ruler while others were loyal to the son. My dad fought for the ruler's wishes, keeping his son from inheriting the throne. Anyhow, the conflict lasted a year or two, and my father returned home twice a year to bring us news. Every time he saw me he told me how impressed he was that I had gotten so much stronger.

"During the last year, my father died. His side won the battle and a council was assembled to decide the next ruler. They had a competition to see who was the most mature and powerful amongst the people. There were tests of knowledge, of wisdom, and of power. My mother asked me to try out, insisting it was what my father would have wanted and I became the next ruler," Candice finished, looking a little grim from her memories.

"Thank you, Candice. I… Can I have some time alone please?" Elaine asked.

"Sure. Do you remember where your room is?" Solana asked, offering to help.

"Thank you. I'll manage," Elaine replied as she walked away and found her way up to her room.

The rulers were quiet for some time, not really sure of what to say to lighten the mood. "Candice, come here for a second. Can you light this candle for us? The room's getting really dark," Sigma asked, trying to get Candice's mind off of her father.

"Sure, give me a second."

A moment later, the candle in the middle of the small coffee table sprang to life, casting shifty shadows on the rulers' faces. "Well, that's better. Thanks, Candice."

"No problem. I wonder though: if Abner's also after Sakura, who else is?" Candice replied, returning to her semi-cheery mood.

"Well, I don't know who to trust anymore. I suppose I never did. I was always the paranoid one. But thirteen years of peace can really make you forget about danger. Sure, I jumped at Li and his friends as soon as they entered my Realm, but that was the first sign of anything odd happening in any of the Realms since the war. I think I may have let my guard slip a bit," Sigma said.

"Well, personally I don't think we should trust Shadow. I mean, look at his name… have you ever seen a more _shady_ character?" Candice said, laughing at her own pun.

"Haha, very funny," Shadow said, coming out of the kitchen. "I suppose you just won't be having food then, seeing as I've probably poisoned it. I'll give Sigma here your share."

"Hey, I was just kidding!" Candice yelled, crossing her arms indignantly.

Shadow walked past her, purposely showing her the food he had prepared to make her mouth water before moving on and serving everyone else. "Oh, would you look at that. I don't even have an extra share to give Sigma. Oops, I suppose you'll have to go without dinner," Shadow said, smirking in the darkness.

"Not funny, now give me my food!" Candice yelled, pulling Fire energy from its Sphere despite the strain.

"Calm down. There's no need to pass out again from embracing you wonderful Sphere of energy. Here's your food," Shadow said, pushing what everyone thought was his share to Candice.

"What about you?" Solana asked.

"I ate a while ago, while you were all still asleep. Li ate then too, but you can have some more if you're hungry."

"Thank you, but I'm fine. I think… I think I'll go on to bed now. Umm, don't you have any lights you can turn on, Shadow?"

"Yes, but they require some fixing. The candles should mostly be lit in your wing of the building. Good night. Don't worry _too_ much," Shadow said as Li walked up the stairs to his room.

The other rulers finished their meal and thanked Shadow before going up to their wing of the building for sleep. Eriol finished last and walked up to Shadow, staring him in the eye.

"They can trust you. I know who you are," Eriol said before going on to bed.

"Good. I expected you to be the first to figure it out, though you don't quite know everything, Eriol Hiiragizawa," Shadow said aloud to himself in the dark.

Shadow walked up to Li's room, checking to see if he was asleep before going deeper into the castle to his own little room. In the middle of this room sat a small table and a bed lay against the wall. "Sakura…" he said, before collapsing on his bed and staring up at the dark ceiling. Shadow turned to the small table and stared at a picture of a young girl, maybe twelve to thirteen years old, with auburn hair and emerald eyes, done in two tiny pigtails with gleaming red beads. Next to this picture lay a dusty sword with a bright red gem in the center of its golden hilt. Small, red tassels dangled off the edge of the table from the sword, and two black beads lay attached to these.

"Sakura…"

* * *

Well, there's another chapter for you. I hope you guys can figure out who Shadow is soon. I want to explain the time lapse of the chapter. Between the end of the last chapter and the beginning of this one, there's a bunch of stuff that happens. That stuff is covered in the flashback. Ok? Good! This chapter should really help. Anyhow, I'm not going to tell you what to remember. The challenge is in one of the other chapters. You'll find it if you look hard enough. The next chapter plans to be finished in another 5 days or so. Good luck with the challenge! 


	23. Departures

Author's Note (A/N): IMPORTANT! Read the entire chapter before yelling at me. If you stop like a page into this chapter, you'll think something that's not true! Go through the whole chapter please…

Previously: There was a giant battle between all the rulers and Abner who happens to have backstabbed. Well, Li jumped in and got unbrainwashed, but Abner captured Sakura anyhow (sigh…). Then, they all run off back to Shadow's castle and wait for Sakura, having faith that she would be alright.

**Chapter 23: Departures**

Abner threw Sakura into a dark room and locked the door as he left. "Don't bother trying to escape!"

Sakura sat in her room, not really listening to Abner. She sat on a small rectangular slab of stone in the corner, assuming it would be her bed. "Shadow… Li… What am I supposed to do? You two have helped me out more than anyone else. You have to know what to do," Sakura whispered to herself in vain, searching within herself for the answer.

After a few moments of thinking, she laid down on her bed, trying to get some sleep.

As Sakura dozed off, she felt a sharp pain in her side. Immediately, she let out a scream and shot up to see Abner standing next to her and blood coming from her side.

"No sleeping!" Abner commanded, raising his barbed whip and sending it into the back of Sakura's leg before leaving the room again.

_Why? _Sakura thought, sobbing and thinking of all the horrible things that Abner could do to her. Frantically, she searched for any answer to her questions, trying to find some way to escape. _There has to be something I can do!_

Half an hour later, Sakura slowly grew tired and began nodding off again despite her constant efforts to stay awake. As she slowly gave in to sleep, the small wooden door to her room burst into pieces and Abner stepped in.

"Get up," he said quietly, taking Sakura's arm and leading her into a marble room with tall, white columns. "It's time for me to earn my reward," Abner said, throwing Sakura onto a small, white stone table.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, coming to tears again.

"When I finish, you'll be glad you're no longer around to see what I've done. You will fuel this gateway and I shall rule the Realms!" Abner said, forming a blue, glowing dagger in his hands.

"No! Leave me alone!" Sakura yelled, scrambling off the small table. Immediately she released her staff and called for Shield to protect her as she searched for more ways to defend herself.

"That shield won't stand to this even with the Dark energy you've infused into it!" Abner yelled, unleashing a large bolt of energy and shattering the magical aura of The Shield to pieces. "Now stop struggling!" Abner said, sending a rope of energy at Sakura.

"Aaaahh!" Sakura screamed, shielding herself with her hands.

The rope wrapped itself around Sakura, sending small jolts of electricity through her firmly held body before binding her to the table. Abner raised his dagger, and struck, aiming for Sakura's chest. Inches away, the dagger collided with an odd energy shield and shattered. Less than a second later, the energy ropes holding Sakura to the table dissipated, freeing their prisoner.

"Who did this?" Abner asked, staring around and on guard. "Show yourself!"

"Sakura, this is your last chance. That shield will only work once. Hopefully it will buy you enough time," said Shadow's tiny voice inside Sakura's head.

Sakura swiftly sprang to her feet and ran from Abner, hoping to just escape his grasp.

"Get back here!" Abner yelled, chasing after Sakura.

"Fly! Through!" Sakura yelled, using both cards and finding her way through the outer rock wall. _I've gotta get as far away from here as I can,_ she thought, flying at full speed away from the odd dome of rock.

About twenty yards away from the rock, Sakura ran into an invisible wall of energy and fell as her Cards ceased to work.

"Fool, I told you not to try. No matter, I have no time to torture you. You _will_ fuel the gate for me!" Abner said, gliding up to Sakura.

Moments later, Abner had Sakura back in the small marble room, strapped to the stone table. "If I can't kill you that way, I'll just drain the energy straight from your body!" Abner yelled, surrounded in his cold, blue aura.

"Aaaaaaaaahhh!" Sakura screamed as she felt a pain beyond anything she had felt before. Slowly, painfully, her life energy drained from her and her body lay, motionless on the table.

"There. You should be happy, Sakura. You don't have to face the upcoming destruction!" Abner cried, laughing viciously.

Abner stepped up to an odd, twisted stone rod and conferred to it the energy he took from Sakura. Slowly, the rod sparkled and a dull light shone from it. As Abner finished transferring the energy, the dull light shined until it filled the dark room with an eerie blue glow. After a few seconds, the glow disappeared and the stone wall behind it swirled with color.

"Yes… now I just need the Spirits to complete this, and I will rule the Realms!" Abner said, taking from his pocket seven different rings, each with a peculiar symbol on them. "That fool Altarrin had most of the rings," he said to himself. "Candice had one and probably didn't even notice it when I took it from her. Finally, the Dark ring, so well hidden in the Light Realm. Oh, this is the end for them!" He set the Rings in a tight circle and sat down, mustering up a large amount of energy and infusing the Rings with them. A moment later, he stood up and walked over to each of the Rings, sending a unique bolt of energy into each one. When he finished, he took a few steps back and sent a large ball of energy into the middle of the Rings and tied the Rings' energy to the unusual stone rod.

A moment later, the Rings shattered and in place of them, seven large creatures, made of pure energy appeared. Slowly, the creatures shrunk as their energies were absorbed by the rod.

Instantly, the swirling wall behind the rod burst to pieces and a semi-transparent Portal formed, seemingly covered by a malleable, oily sheet. "Perfect. You're free," Abner said, watching as a young man clad in glowing armor stepped out, carrying with him various weapons. "Now, do as you promised!"

"Thank you, Abner, for freeing me. However, you didn't truly believe that I would let you rule the Realms alone while I still could, did you? You can rule along with me if you'd like, but otherwise, I'll have to dispose of you," the man said, drawing from its sheath a long, glimmering sword.

"We had a deal. You said that if I freed you, I would have complete rule of the Realms!" Abner yelled.

"And you will. I never said you would have complete control all to yourself. Think about this, Abner. I'm offering you a wonderful position on my council. We'll be equals, neither of us greater than the rest," the man said, running his finger along the sword.

"'The rest?'" Abner asked. "Who else is there going to be?"

"Well, at the moment, just you and me. Soon, I'll find others that are strong. Perhaps Shadow can be corrupted. He's been putting up quite a fight," the man said, halfway minding the conversation as he sheathed his sword and walked through the room.

"Fine. So let's go get him. There's no use staying here," Abner said, waiting for his new acquaintance and fellow ruler to agree to his plan.

"Give me a moment. I've been trapped for nearly fourteen years now. I've got to stretch out a bit; warm up, if you will. Say, you wouldn't happen to know anyone that needs to be killed, do you?"

"Altarrin will still be around somewhere if you're interested in getting revenge," Abner said.

"Not him, he won't provide any challenge. Perhaps I'll fight Shadow, just for fun. We'll see if he can put up as good a fight against me as he did against you," the man said, grabbing an axe from off his back.

"You have quite a few weapons," Abner replied, laughing mirthlessly. "You should be able to defeat him without breaking a sweat."

"Well, we'll see. For now, I think I could use some food. I haven't eaten for fourteen years, and I don't see why I shouldn't eat now," the man said. "Where can I get something to eat?"

"I have enough for the next three days if we eat sparingly. Come with me," Abner said, leading the man out of the marble room.

An hour after the two of them left, Sakura's Cards mysteriously glowed with a bright golden aura and floated around her motionless body, calling out to her with their warm light.

* * *

"Sakura," a voice called in the dark.

"Huh…?" Sakura replied, her voice echoing in the complete darkness.

"Sakura," came another voice, followed by many more.

"Where am I?" Sakura asked the echoing darkness.

"Sakura…" the voices said, seeming closer.

Sakura turned her head, looking in every direction through the darkness, unable to see anything as the voices echoed all around her. "Sakura, wake up," a soft voice said.

"You have our strength," came another voice, similar to the first.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked the echoing voices.

"Wake up, Sakura," the voices said in unison, echoing through the darkness and finding their way to Sakura's ears. "We need you."

"Tell me who you are!" Sakura cried, staring around her at the oppressive darkness. "Tell me!"

"We can't! You must wake up," the first voice said as a slight glimmer of light appeared off in the distance.

"That light… It's… so warm," Sakura said, running towards it with echoing footsteps.

"Hurry, Sakura. You don't have much time," the voices said, urging Sakura onwards.

"That light… I've seen it before! I know what that is," Sakura said aloud, trying to remember exactly what it was as she ran through the pure darkness.

"Sakura…" the voices said, growing louder as the light grew closer.

Sakura ran for what seemed like hours, chasing after the dimly twinkling light. As she approached the light, a woman with long, flowing white hair in white armor appeared, emitting a bright light and standing in front of a small doorway..

"Sakura, you made it. Come with me. Take our strength and come," the woman said, beckoning for Sakura to follow her.

Sakura stepped through the doorway and looked around, seeing different figures around her. A cat-like creature with a long, waving tail jumped into her hands and licked her cheek, reminding her again of her past.

"The Cards! You're all here. But… where am I?" Sakura asked, suddenly realizing whose voices she had heard.

"You're asleep, Sakura. You must wake up," the woman said.

"Light, Dark, Dash, and everyone else... thank you," Sakura said gratefully as the world winked out of existence.

* * *

Sakura awoke, and looked around her to see her Cards floating around her and glowing, filling her with energy. "My Cards," Sakura said, holding out her hand and letting the Cards fall into it. She pressed her Cards to her chest, feeling their warmth and allowing their energy to flow through her body. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mistress Sakura. We owe our happiness to you," the Cards said, echoing in Sakura's head. Sakura stowed her Cards in her pocket and felt the two new Cards. _These Cards… _

"Thank you…"

The door to the room opened with a bang and a man, clad in glowing armor walked in. "So, this is the girl. She's not very dead," the man said, turning to Abner behind him.

"You! How did you survive?" Abner asked angrily.

"It doesn't matter now, Abner. She can't do anything. If I were her, I would've stayed in my peaceful, dead slumber. Now, she'll have to face this like all the other fools that oppose me. Of course, Sakura, I wouldn't mind letting you join my side," the man said.

"Join… join your side?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, that's right. I'm offering you the chance to rule the Realms. In fact, I'll even let your friends join up with me. You can save all your friends from certain destruction," the man said, offering Sakura his hand.

"Why are you offering her something like this?" Abner asked furiously.

"She deserves it, doesn't she? If not for her, I wouldn't be here. Think of it as my thanks," the man said, waiting for Sakura's response.

"I… I don't understand," Sakura said, backing away. "Who are you?"

"Oh, that's not really so important. Just know that I'll be the next one to rule the Realms: right after I destroy them and recreate them as I see fit," the man replied, unsheathing his blade and waving it through the air in different formations. "So what'll it be, Sakura? If you'd like to join your friends against me, I'll let you leave. If you'd like to join forces with me, I'll let you talk to them and hopefully you can convince them to come with you."

"No! I can't! You're going to destroy this place! What about all the things that the different rulers have worked so hard for? All the stories I've heard, all the people here… You can't just destroy this place!" Sakura yelled, taking her staff in her hands.

"Suit yourself. Abner, show Sakura here the way out. Point her in the direction of her friends. For freeing me, I'll be nice and allow you to die with your friends rather than striking you down now," the man said, leaving Abner with Sakura. "Don't hurt her too much."

"I didn't think I'd get a chance to torture you for trying to run. Well, here's my chance!" Abner said, directing his energy at Sakura and picking her up. Abner created strong ropes of energy and bound Sakura, squeezing the air out of her lungs.

"Aaaaahh!" Sakura screamed, having some difficulty breathing.

"Go find your friends!" Abner said, taking Sakura to the nearest door and tossing her into the air.

"Fly!" Sakura yelled, as she flew through the air. The Fly took effect moments before Sakura hit the ground and carried her into the air, away from the dome of rock where Abner stood, laughing. Sakura flew for a few minutes before finding Shadow's castle off in the distance, brightly lit by candles. She arrived at Shadow's front door a few minutes later. Her wings disappeared as she knocked on the door, hoping she wouldn't wake anyone.

"Who is it?" came Candice's voice from the other side.

"It's me, Sakura," Sakura replied as the doors opened.

"Sakura! You're alive! I knew you would make it! So, what did you do to Abner? Where's that snake now?" Candice asked, bringing Sakura inside. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"I… I'm fine… Where's everyone else?"

"Everyone's sleeping, but I couldn't. I–"

"Sakura, come here. Li's waiting to see you," Shadow said, cutting Candice off.

"Shadow! Learn some manners!" Candice said, stalking off and leaving Sakura to Shadow.

"Shadow… Abner's done something and there's someone that says he's going to destroy the Realms now. What are we going to do about it?" Sakura asked despairingly.

"Right now, nothing. Li needs to talk to you. He has… something important he wants to tell you," Shadow replied, taking Sakura up to her old room. "He's in there, probably asleep by now."

Sakura walked into her room and found Li asleep on her bed. She walked over and woke Li who promptly got to his feet. "Sakura, I was so worried about you. Sakura… I'm so sorry. I can't believe that I almost… I almost killed you. I…"

"Li, it's ok. I understand," Sakura said, staring at Li with watery eyes. "I'm glad you're ok now."

"Sakura… I… You know I…" Li said, growing very red. "I'm really glad you're ok too."

"Thank you," Sakura replied. "I'm lucky to be here. If it weren't for the Cards, I'd probably have died."

"Sakura, I've woken the other rulers. You need to come out and tell them what's going on," Shadow said as he walked into the room, looking very grim. "They'll be in the dining room."

Sakura glanced at Li before the two of them walked past Shadow, Sakura leading the way with a smile on her face.

"You could have done better," Shadow whispered to Li, just loudly enough for him to hear.

Li turned and stared at Shadow for a while, feeling an odd aura and growing a little nervous before he ran off after Sakura, following her down the dark, half-lit hall.

A few minutes later, Sakura and Li walked into the dining room where the other rulers were waiting. "Sakura, you're ok," Sigma said, taking Sakura's hand and leading her to a chair. "Are you hurt?"

"She'll be fine, Sigma. Let her tell us what Shadow said was so important," Matriana said, quieting all the rulers.

"Umm…" Sakura mumbled, growing a little uneasy as all the rulers stared at her.

"Come on, Sakura," Li whispered quietly, urging Sakura onwards and reminding her of his presence.

"Abner did something to me. He said he was going to drain the energy from my body. I don't know exactly what happened later, but when I woke up, there was someone there besides Abner. They kept talking about how I should've been dead. Then the man said he was going to destroy the Realms and offered to let me join his side. When I refused, Abner grabbed me and threw me out."

"Wait, this guy, what did he look like?" Matriana asked.

"Well, he was taller than Abner by a foot or two and he had a rough face with a few scars. Umm… I think he had black hair and he was clad in glowing, gold armor. He also had a really long sword and I think I saw a large axe strapped to his back."

"Do you know anything else about him?"

"No, that's all he told me," Sakura said, shaking her head.

"Well, personally, I think he's the real Spiritmaker," Candice said.

"You're right. He is. We don't, however, know what he's going to do. I'm sure he has something planned, but we need to fight him head on. We're coming up on the final battle, and we all need to be prepared," Shadow said, stepping into the room.

"Yes. We should all go back to our Realms and find some people to fight with us. Elaine, with Abner gone, you'll be the new ruler of the Light Realm. We'll let the people know right away. Shadow, I understand that there is but a single village of people here in the Dark Realm. From what I hear, they're mostly strong sorcerers and mercenaries skilled in swordplay. Will you go get some followers?"

"Yes, I'll be there soon. I had to make sure we all had a plan first. Sigma, we're going to need as many of your herbal remedies as we can get. Does anyone else have any requests for anyone?" Shadow replied.

"What should we do?" Sakura asked for herself and Li.

"Follow Solana to her Realm. Think of it as a partial vacation while you find some reinforcements there. The Wind Realm is very peaceful and you should enjoy it," Shadow said.

"Ok, I'll take them. Anything else you need from me?" Solana asked, ready to head back to her Realm.

"Your Realm is famous for its cooks. Bring us all back some food," Tyrell said cheerily. "I haven't had food from your Realm since I was five."

"Ok!" Solana said, smiling. "Let's go, Sakura, Li."

"Sakura, there's something odd about Shadow. He feels…"

"Shhh. We'll talk about it later, Li. Let's go," Sakura whispered, grabbing Li's arm and dragging him after Solana.

"Sakura…"

Sakura and Li followed Solana out to the Portal and stepped through it, vanishing without a trace.

"Ok, so we all know what to do. We'll meet back here in a day or two, ok?" Shadow said.

"No problem. A day is more than enough for us to gather what we need. Elaine, Candice and I will take you to crown you as the new ruler. We're the two oldest rulers left now. Let's go," Sigma said, taking Elaine's hand.

"I… I suppose," Elaine said, staring down at the ground with thoughts of her father flying through her head.

"Come on, Elaine. Cheer up. You'll do fine as a ruler. Your father would have been proud to see you rule," Candice said, taking Elaine's hand in comfort.

"Sigma, weren't you the one that got all mad at me for ruling at such a young age?" Shadow asked jokingly.

"Yes, well Elaine's proven herself. She took a powerful blast from her father and has therefore earned her position as ruler. How you became ruler I'm still trying to puzzle out, but we'll have time for that after this is all over. For now, your help is much appreciated," Sigma said, slightly aggravated.

"Alright, go 'crown' her. I'll be off in that small secluded village talking to people," Shadow replied, walking off.

"If you ask me, he assassinated the other ruler and posed as the ruler's son, making the few people here believe that he was the rightful heir. He's nothing more than a kid. I haven't seen him do anything useful!" Candice said condemningly.

"Well, like I said: we can deal with that later. Right now, we have to get ready for this next battle," Sigma replied, taking Elaine to the Portal with Candice.

"Well, that leaves me and you, Matriana. I suppose you'll be off to your giant library to pick up some spell books or something, right?" Tyrell said.

"Yes, I will. I'll leave you to your Realm. Eriol, you seem to have an interest in knowledge. Perhaps you'd like to come with me?"

"Sure," Eriol replied, a little distant.

"Eriol, don't you have four guardians somewhere?" Tyrell asked as Eriol began to leave.

"They're fine. They should still be lost somewhere in this Realm and they can take care of themselves," Eriol replied, following Matriana through the Portal.

"And then there was one. Well, here I go talking to myself," Tyrell said, heading up a flight of stairs. "Lloyd, you want to come with me to the Thunder Realm and find some backup?"

"Sure, Lord Tyrell, I'll help," Lloyd said, grabbing his coat and following Tyrell.

"No need to be so formal, Lloyd. We've been through enough together to drop the 'Lord' portion of my name," Tyrell replied after he recited the incantation for the Thunder Realm.

The two of them stepped through the Portal and vanished, headed to the Thunder Realm.

* * *

"Keroberos, this is all your fault! We've been going in circles for ages now!" Ruby yelled, head to head with Kero.

"What do you mean it's my fault? You're the one that's been telling us where to turn!" Kero yelled back.

Kero and Ruby yelled back and forth as Yue and Spinel watched. After a while, they stepped in and stopped the bickering, having earned a large headache from listening to the two of them fight for the past hour.

"Keroberos, Clow would not approve of this," Yue said quietly.

"Ruby, we need to focus on finding our way back. No more games!" Spinel cried.

"Fine!" Kero and Ruby said at the same time, turning away from each other.

"Let's get going. A little while ago, it felt as if Sakura was in danger," Yue said, getting Kero to start moving again.

"Yes, and I can't feel Eriol's presence anymore. I think he may have left this Realm," Spinel said.

"Alright, we'll go that way," Kero said, pointing off in a random direction.

"Why that way? Last I felt Eriol, he was that way!" Ruby said.

"You say that every time and we always get lost! We're going where I say this time!" Kero yelled.

"No, we're not! We're going this way!"

"Fine! You go that way and I'll go this way!" Kero yelled back, walking off.

"Keroberos! Stay right there," Spinel yelled. "We should stick together! I agree with Ruby this time. I did feel Eriol in that direction last time."

"Well, let's get going then," Kero said, feeling rather defeated.

"Well, look what I've stumbled onto," came a voice from behind the four of them.

Immediately, Yue and Spinel jumped up and prepared to strike, watching as a boy walked into their midst.

"It's just me. Eriol's in a different Realm by now and Sakura should be with Li in the Wind Realm. You can come with me for a while," Shadow said. "For those of you that like sweets, I've got a plate of cookies in my backpack," Shadow said, shooting a look at Kero.

"Well, I'm convinced! Let's go!" Kero said, transforming into his false form and flying into Shadow's backpack.

"Keroberos… really likes sweets," Spinel said, staring at the tiny crumbs flying from Shadow's backpack.

"Uh huh," Ruby replied, walking after Shadow.

"Be careful," Yue whispered to Spinel and Ruby. "I feel something familiar from him, though I can't say what it is."

Eriol's guardians nodded and followed Shadow quietly as he led them through the Realm.

* * *

Ok, chapter. Well, Sakura didn't die and I promise that Sakura, who's been tortured so badly already, won't die, so don't kill me for it. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Things are drawing to a close. The 'final battle' is approaching, and we still don't know what the other card that Sakura's recently obtained is… 


	24. Relaxation

Author's Note (A/N): This chapter is SO not late. Read bottom for details.

Previously:

A new guy appears and is claimed to be the real Summoner. Sakura gets away with her life and finds her way back to Shadow's castle where they all decide that its time to leave and find people to fight with them in the so-called final battle.

**Chapter 24: Relaxation**

"Elaine, what's wrong?" Candice asked as they walked through the Light Realm.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," Elaine replied with a forced smile. "I… Never mind… I'm fine."

"Elaine, if something's wrong, it's best to talk about it. I know that you're still thinking about your father, but it's time to move on," Sigma said, turning to look Elaine in the eye.

Elaine dropped her gaze, not wanting to face Sigma directly and started sniffling. "But… He used to be… I just…"

"Sigma, give it a rest. She's only fifteen!" Candice hissed. "Elaine, we're here for you. That's all Sigma's trying to tell you. We'll be here for you no matter what, ok? Come on, cheer up."

"You don't understand! This isn't just about… about him… I can't… I'm sorry."

"You can't what, exactly?" Candice asked, staring blankly at Elaine.

"I can't take the throne. I just can't… I know you two will be there with me and help me take care of the politics and stuff… but… I'm not… I…" Elaine trailed off and started to cry again, staring off into the distance with teary eyes. "I want him back… I remember, some years ago, when I was really young… I… I came down with a fever… while we were out camping and he never left my side… He stood there, shielding me from the rain, and he… he got sick too. After a while, we made it back home and we saw a doctor. He promised me that we would always be together… till the day he died. He promised me!" Elaine screamed, turning back to Candice. "And now he's gone! He even… even built me that… that tree house that I wanted and told… he told me that as long as that tree house stood, he'd be next to me, no matter what!" Elaine yelled, uttering the words between sobs.

Sigma stared at Elaine and exchanged glances with Sigma, not sure how to respond. Elaine stared off into the distance, continuing to cry while struggling to accept what had happened.

"He promised… he… he promised…" Elaine muttered as tears streamed from her clear, blue eyes.

"Sigma, we have to do something! Maybe you and I can take over this Realm for now. We'll let her… get better first," Candice whispered to Sigma who simply nodded as he stared compassionately at Elaine.

"Why? He always loved me… promised me that he would… Why isn't he here now?" Elaine asked loudly, receiving only her echoing voice as an answer. "Why…?"

Candice walked over and embraced Elaine, holding her close and stroking her hair soothingly. "It'll be alright. Elaine, we have to do this now. You don't have to take the throne if you don't want to. We'll do it for you, but you have to cooperate. We have to do this to save as many lives as possible, understand?"

Elaine simply nodded in answer, burying her face in Candice's shirt and sobbing while clinging to Candice's arms. "Sigma, can I get you to go back through the Portal and bring me Flame? We'll make it to the castle sooner that way."

"No problem: so long as you don't expect me to ride him," Sigma replied, walking back a little ways and stepping through the Portal.

Candice heaved a sigh and sat down, holding Elaine in her hands as she continued to cry.

_Broken families, prophecies, the destruction of the Realms, Shadow… I'd rather have nothing to do with any of this, but I guess that's no longer my choice._

* * *

Tyrell walked through the cloudy Realm as Lloyd followed, neither saying a word. Slowly, they made their way through the dreary Realm and headed towards the dark castle looming in the distance. At length, Tyrell broke the silence.

"Lloyd, when was the last time you were in this Realm?"

"I was about three," Lloyd answered simply, staring off into the distance as he'd been doing since they arrived.

Tyrell walked onwards, unable to start a conversation with his traveling companion and the two of them quietly walked towards the castle as thicker clouds gathered over their heads. A while later, the clouds burst and pellets of rain struck the two of them as they ran off to find shelter.

"Over here, Lor… Tyrell. There's a small house and they should allow us to stay for a while!" Lloyd yelled, making his way towards the small, humble shack.

Tyrell stepped up to the door as he and Lloyd approached and knocked twice. A short while later, the door opened and a young girl stood in the doorway.

"M-mama's not home right now… umm… sir. Could you… come back later?" the girl asked, dragging a small pink blanket along the floor behind her.

"We're sorry," Tyrell replied. "We don't mean to be rude, but it's raining out here and we'd like some shelter. Would you please let us in?"

The little girl looked up at the two men standing outside her house and nodded slightly, opening the door a little wider so the two of them could walk in. "Please, sit down," the girl said, leading the two soaked men over to a couple of wooden chairs.

"What's your name?" Tyrell asked, being careful not to get anything wet.

"My name is Ellen," the girl said, staring at the two older men and not sure what to do next. "Umm… my mom should be back really soon."

"Thank you very much Ellen for letting us stay here. Can you show me to the bathroom?" Tyrell asked as he removed his backpack.

The girl nodded again and led them deeper into the house. After going through the kitchen, what looked like a living room, and down a short hallway, the girl pointed to a dark open door next to the back door of the house. "Umm… There's the bathroom," the girl said before turning around and quickly heading away.

Tyrell took his backpack into the dark room and lit the half-melted candle with a small spark of electricity. As the candle flame cast flickering shadows on the wall, he unzipped his backpack to find everything inside completely dry. Hastily, he took out a dry set of clothes and changed before grabbing a few for Lloyd.

"Lor– umm... Tyrell, come quick!" Lloyd yelled down the hallway.

Tyrell left his backpack on the floor and ran out to find Ellen unconscious on the floor with Lloyd hunched over her. "What happened?" Tyrell demanded.

"I'm not sure. She was fine one minute, and then she just passed out," Lloyd replied, putting two fingers on Ellen's neck. "She's still got a pulse, but she feels pretty warm."

"I'm no doctor. There's nothing I can do about this right now!" Tyrell yelled, frustrated with himself.

Just then, the door opened and a middle-aged woman walked in to see two foreign people in her house, hunched over her unconscious daughter. "Who are you? What… WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DAUGHTER?" the woman asked, suddenly furious.

"We haven't done anything," Tyrell answered. "We came here to take shelter from the rain for a while when your daughter fainted here. She seems to have a pretty high fever," Tyrell said, explaining himself to the enraged woman.

"You… You're… Lord Tyrell! Umm… sit down… sorry for yelling. Umm… I'm sorry," the woman said, bowing down to Tyrell as she inched her way over to her daughter.

"It's alright. How can I help?" Tyrell asked.

"My daughter's been sick for a little over a week now. She's been coughing on and off and every so often she would just faint for no apparent reason. I went out to consult a doctor, but there aren't any around here. Lord Tyrell, is there any way you can help?"

Tyrell stared at the woman with the young girl in her arms, unable to tell them that there was nothing he could do. "I… I have no knowledge in the medical field. However, I can find a physician for you. I'm sorry," Tyrell said.

"Wait. Lor– Tyrell, I have some slight medical training. I can at least tell you what's wrong with her," Lloyd said suddenly.

"I see. Well, Lloyd, give it a shot," Tyrell said, leaving Ellen to Lloyd.

Lloyd leaned over the young girl and took her small hand in his, taking her pulse. He bent his head down further and laid it on her chest, listening to her heartbeat before turning her over and doing the same thing to her back. A moment later, a sharp aura surrounded him and he sent a small bolt of electricity into the young girl and carefully watched as he directed the bolt through her body.

"Ma'am… Your child has a rare disease. I've only seen this once before, and it's fatal if you don't get treatment soon. Umm… Tyrell, we need to take her with us. You should have some physicians in your castle that can treat her. I've only studied a little medicine and I really have no idea how to treat her."

"No… Ellen… Lord… Lord Tyrell, you have to help me. Take me with you to your castle. I'll carry Ellen," the woman said.

"Alright, we'll leave as soon as the rain stops," Tyrell replied, getting up off the ground.

"Thank you. Thank you, Lord Tyrell."

"Lor– Tyrell, do you feel that?" Lloyd asked, suddenly on edge.

"Yes, I do. Umm, Miss…?" Tyrell said, waiting for a name.

"Kayley," the woman replied.

"Miss Kayley, we'll be right back," Tyrell said as Lloyd opened the door and stepped out.

Tyrell followed Lloyd out, into the storm. A few seconds later, both of them were completely soaked again and felt like they were being watched. Tyrell whipped around, staring off in every direction as Lloyd looked in the opposite directions. Back-to-back, the two of them scoured the landscape, looking for anything suspicious.

"There!" Lloyd yelled, pointing on top of the house.

As Tyrell turned to look, a dark shape flew from the house and blurred past them, dropping a small piece of paper on the floor as the strange aura disappeared.

"It's gone. Lloyd, let's get back inside," Tyrell said, picking up the strangely dry piece of paper as they walked in.

"Are you ok?" Kayley asked, handing the two of them some towels.

"We're fine, thank you. Excuse me as I use your bathroom again," Tyrell said, smiling at the woman. "Lloyd, I've got some dry clothes for you in a moment. Wait here."

"Thank you, Lord Tyrell, but I don't need to change."

"Lloyd…"

"Yes?"

"Drop the 'Lord.' It's really unnecessary by now," Tyrell said, walking off to the bathroom with a slightly exasperated look on his face.

Tyrell stepped into the dimly lit bathroom and changed into yet another set of clothes before stepping back out with a small bundle of dry clothes for Lloyd.

"Here, these are your clothes. Go change," Tyrell said, tossing the bundle at Lloyd.

Lloyd caught the bundle of clothes and stalked off to the bathroom to change into them. He came out with a bundle of wet clothes and tossed them to Tyrell who caught them and stuck them in his backpack.

"Alright, the rain's stopped and we should get going. Miss Kayley, we should get going now," Tyrell said, opening the door and stepping out into the slightly brighter Realm.

Kayley and Lloyd followed him out of the small shack and the three of them, with Ellen unconscious on her mother's back, made for the castle off in the distance.

"Tyrell, what did that paper you picked up say?" Lloyd asked.

"I'll tell you later," he replied, casting a glance at the woman with her child, trudging along behind him. "It's not that important."

* * *

Sakura stared out across the vast expanse of sky. Small, floating bits of land could be seen here and there. In all other parts of the Realm, there was nothing. One false step, and you would fall forever.

"S-Solana… Umm… what if we fall?" Sakura asked, staying as far from the edge as possible.

"Sorry?" Solana replied. "Oh… Here, I'll show you," Solana said, stepping up to the edge of the small slab of land the Portal was on. A moment later, she took a step off the slab and was gently lifted up into the air as her long hair flowed through the sky behind her. "It's really quite simple. Everywhere here, there are strong updrafts that will carry you through the Realm. You can't fall," Solana said.

Sakura stared in amazement and tentatively walked off the small piece of land, laughing when she floated up into the air. "Come on, Li!" Sakura yelled, laughing as she made her way through the air.

Li watched Sakura, blushing when Sakura called for him. Slowly, he took a few uncertain steps off the land and floated up near Sakura. After a few moments of struggling to move, he settled down and made small, swimming motions to get through the Realm.

Sakura stared at Li and laughed as he floundered around. After a while of enjoying the Realm, Solana brought the two of them back to the slab of land where Zephyr was waiting and reminded them of their task.

"Ok, you can have more fun when we get back to the castle, but for now, we need to make it to the castle. You two can take Zephyr. She knows the way back. When you get there, give this to the guards. They should recognize Zephyr anyways, but this will help. Anyways, I'm off to find some people to help in the fight before coming back and getting some more supplies. You two enjoy yourselves," Solana said, smiling at Sakura.

"W-wait… How am I supposed to ride?" Li asked.

"Oh, it's simple really. Get up on Zephyr and hold on to her. Just don't squeeze too tight. Then, Sakura can get on and wrap her arms around your waist. Zephyr will do all the work. You don't have to steer her," Solana said innocently.

Li turned a new shade of red when he heard this before shooting uneasy glances at Sakura who was the same shade of red. Without noticing the each other's blushes, Li got up onto the pegasus with Sakura behind him, wrapping her arms around Li's waist.

"Alright Zephyr, go home!" Solana yelled, giving the pegasus a slight nudge.

Zephyr ran a few feet before whinnying and taking to the air, heading straight for the castle off in the distance with Li and Sakura on her back.

"Aaahh! Li!" Sakura yelled suddenly as Zephyr flew under a large rock, causing Sakura to lose her balance.

Li turned and grabbed Sakura wrist and pulled her back up onto Zephyr. "Are you alright?"

"Thank you. I'm fine," Sakura said, smiling.

Li turned around and stared off past Zephyr's head at the large castle they were approaching, blushing furiously again from Sakura's warm smile.

The two of them enjoyed the rest of their mostly uneventful ride as they sped through the Wind Realm, feeling the breeze blow past them in the air. As they approached the castle, two other pegasi rode out to meet them.

"Lady Solana, we're glad… who are you and what are you doing on Lady Solana's pegasus?" one of the pegasus riders asked.

"Umm… Solana told us to give this to you," Sakura said, handing the rider the small, folded sheet of paper Solana had given her.

"I see. Welcome to the castle then. Will the two of you be sharing a room?" the rider asked.

Li and Sakura exchanged glances before blushing furiously again. "I'll take that as a yes," the rider said as he led Zephyr down to the castle grounds.

Sakura got off Zephyr as they landed and Li followed shortly after as the two riders explained everything to the castle guards. A little while later, a man in a classy black tuxedo stepped up to them.

"This way, if you please," he said in a deep voice as he bowed before Li and Sakura.

Li followed after Sakura as they were both led by the butler across the glass floor of the castle. Sakura stared around her, amazed at the elegant beauty of the castle with its glass floor and ceiling.

"Your room, sir and madam," the butler said, bowing and showing them to a large room.

Sakura stepped into the room and looked around, smiling happily at its beauty. She walked up to the thin curtains opposite the door and opened them to find a large balcony hanging over the edge of the castle grounds. Sakura leaned over the edge of the balcony, enjoying the wind that blew up through her hair.

"Sakura…" Li said, walking up to her.

"Yes?"

"I… you… umm…" Li stuttered, turning very red. "I…"

At that moment, the door to their room banged open and a young man walked in. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Sakura jumped in surprise as the teenage boy entered the room. "My… my name is Sakura. We're Solana's guests," Sakura explained.

"Where is Solana!" the boy demanded fiercely.

"She's off doing something!" Sakura replied, backing away. "Wh-who are you?"

"None of your business!" The boy yelled before slamming the door behind him and stalking off through the castle.

"What… was that about?" Li asked, staring blankly at Sakura who merely shrugged in reply.

"I'm going to take a shower. If anyone needs me, tell them I'm busy," Sakura said, walking into the sparkling bathroom. Sakura looked around, captivated by the sheer beauty of the room. _This is amazing! Everything is so clean!_ Sakura thought.

Sakura quickly got into the large tub and turned on the hot water, all the while examining all the other buttons.

_I wonder what all these are for,_ Sakura pondered aimlessly as the tub filled with soothing hot water. For what seemed to be the first time since she arrived in the Realms, she was able to fully relax as she allowed the soothing hot water to wash away all of her worries.

When the tub was nearly full, Sakura leaned backwards and unintentionally turned one of the knobs with the back of her hand. To her pleasant surprise, jets of hot, comforting water bombarded her weary body, allowing Sakura to loosen up her sore muscles.

Sakura leaned against the back of the tub, enjoying the slightly tickling sensation from the water jets and allowing her mind to relax as well as her body.

_Aaahh, for now, I've got nothing to worry about. This is wonderful,_ Sakura thought, lying in the soothing water.

What seemed to Sakura as only a few minutes later, a knock came to the door, followed by Li's voice. "Sakura? Sakura are you ok?"

Sakura roused from her comfortable position, noticing how odd it was that the water level hadn't changed since she last saw it. "Li? What's wrong?"

"You… You've been in there for a little over an hour now and I was just wondering if you were ok. I was… afraid something might have happened to you," Li replied.

"I've been in here for an hour? But… Li, you have to try this. It's great!" Sakura replied, drying herself off and finding a bathrobe to get into. She picked up her old clothes and brought them with her, opening the bathroom door and letting Li in.

"That bath is so comfortable. I must've… dozed off somehow. I'm sorry to have worried you."

"It… It's ok. I'll… I'll try it sometime," Li replied, his face radiating a deep shade of red.

"You should try it now, while you've got a chance. Go on, try it!" Sakura said, pushing Li into the bathroom and shutting the door when she walked out. "You'll love it!"

Li walked through the bathroom, wondering what could possibly be so great about a tub of water. Slowly, he stepped into a tub, making sure that his clothes were in a nice, neat pile away from the tub, and turned on the water.

_It's just a tub. What am I supposed to enjoy so much about it?_ Li thought, curious as to the secret of the wonderful tub.

As if answering his thoughts, Sakura's voice came from the other side of the door. "Try turning the knob a bit on the far side of the tub, away from the faucet!" Sakura yelled before leaving.

Li did as he was told and turned to find a small, flat disc on the side of the tub. Slowly, he turned the knob and a small jet of water shot out at him from an invisible hole in the side of the tub. As he turned the knob further, the water rushed at him more intensely, soothing his fatigued body. As the somniferous, hot water slowly massaged his muscles, Li thought back over everything that had happened and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Sitting a few yards from the bathroom door, Sakura laid on the large, soft bed, cozily under the covers as she stared up through the glass ceiling at the clouds. _When this is all over, I need to spend a vacation here. This place… It's so beautiful._

An hour or so later, Li walked out of the bathroom, completely refreshed, to find Sakura lying on the bed, asleep with a smile on her face. "Sakura… Why can't I tell you?" Li whispered quietly as he ran a hand through Sakura's hair. Li found Sakura's small pile of clothes and added his own to them before deciding to wash them all before Sakura awakened.

_Sakura was right. That bath… it's amazing. I just hope that we'll be able to enjoy it again sometime… After this is all over… Maybe together…_

Li took the pile of clothes and found what he assumed was the laundry room. He stepped into the small room, with a tiny pool of water at the far end of it and tossed the clothes into the miniature lake before settling down to washing the clothes. As he mindlessly washed the clothes, he thought again about Sakura. All of his thoughts seemed to dawn on a single point: he must tell Sakura as soon as possible.

"L… Li?" Sakura asked, walking into the room while rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Slightly startled, Li whipped around to see Sakura standing in the doorway, staring at him. "Y-yes?"

"You don't have to wash my clothes for me. You should get some rest. I'll finish the clothes," Sakura said, walking up to Li.

"Sakura… I… Thank you. I'll go get some sleep while I still have the chance. Oh… and thanks for telling me about the bath. It was… wonderful."

"No problem. When do you want me to wake you up?" Sakura asked, crouching down and taking the still submerged clothes from Li and washing them as she spoke.

Li stood up and turned from Sakura, yawning and stretching as he walked away. "Oh… wake me up when Solana gets back. Or… well, wake me up when there's something to eat," Li said, smiling wryly before plopping down on the bed and dozing off, berating himself for not having the courage to say three, strong, meaningful words to the girl he loved.

* * *

Sakura finished the laundry a while later and hung the wet clothes to dry. She found some fluffy, pink slippers near the door and slipped into them before walking out of the room and downstairs to find some food.

"Hey, you!" came a gruff voice from behind her. "Where are you going?"

Sakura turned around to see the boy that had barged into her room earlier staring at her spitefully. "I… was just going downstairs to… to the kitchen," Sakura replied shakily.

"Yeah? Well I don't believe it! Where's your friend? What are you planning? What have you done with Solana?" the boy said, replying with a barrage of questions.

"He's sleeping… I… I'm not planning anything… except getting him some food, and Solana's off on an errand. I… I didn't do anything!" Sakura yelled angrily.

"Really?" the boy answered sarcastically. "If I'm not mistaken, you came here on Solana's pegasus. She doesn't let anyone ride Zephyr without her. You had to have stolen it from her! Admit it, you stole her pegasus and now you want to steal the Realm from her!"

"No! I didn't do any of that! Why? Why do you have to accuse me of these things?"

"How else can you explain her disappearance and your appearance in her place? You want to usurp the throne! You've probably already kil–"

"I'm back!" came Solana's voice from the castle's foyer, cutting off the overly-emphatic boy who turned a shade of red before rushing past Sakura, nearly knocking her off her feet and greeting Solana.

"Hi, I did your laundry for you and I made sure that everything is just how you wanted it. The laundry is hanging to dry and your dinner–"

"Thanks. Where's Sakura and Li?" Solana asked, ignoring everything else the boy had said.

"You mean the two guests? Umm… you… they... umm…"

"Come on, out with it. Where are they?" Solana asked sternly.

"Well, the girl's up in the stairwell, and she said that the other guy was sleeping. Martin here gave them a room, and they're probably tired, and the girl said that she wanted some food, and she was going to… and… umm…" the boy stuttered, staring down at the floor, attempting and failing to avoid Solana's piercing gaze.

"Stop scaring my guests! I'll deal with you later!" Solana said before turning a corner and finding Sakura at the bottom of the stairwell. "Did… did you hear all of that?"

"You were pretty loud..." Sakura said, trailing off. "Li said he wanted to talk to you, but he's sleeping right now. Umm, we're both hungry though. Can you show me to the kitchen?"

"No problem. The kitchen is right over there, around the corner. How was you're room?"

"It's great! I love the hottub. Umm, do you mind, if after this is all over… well, can I come here, like for a vacation or something after we finish everything?"

"Of course. You and Li are sharing a room, right? Can you tell me where you're room is?"

"It's right at the top of the stairs, to your left," Sakura replied, getting ready to walk off to the kitchen.

"Alright, so tell me what you want to eat and I'll bring it up to you," Solana said.

Sakura quickly thanked Solana for the kind offer and replied that anything would be nice before going back up the stairs. As she walked into her room, she noticed that Li was missing from the bed and called for him.

"Sakura? I'm over here. Come look at this!" Li said, deeper in the room.

Sakura followed Li's voice to find a large, nearly empty room with a mahogany table with matching chairs in the middle. "Wow…" Sakura said, staring at the chandelier that hung from the ceiling.

"Well, looks like we'll be having dinner in here. I would say watching the sunset, but there doesn't seem to be a sun," Li replied. "Let's go get something to eat."

"Solana's bringing something up. She just got back. Do you still need to speak to her?"

Upon hearing the news, Li walked towards the table and took a seat, waiting patiently for his meal while replying to Sakura's question with a simple "no" and staring off into the distance, watching as the sky changed colors as it would during a beautiful sunset.

* * *

Yay, chapter. Stupid computer is having problems! I can't post this! Oddly enough, I'm still writing this author's note that you won't read til the chapter's posted. Sigh… odd of me, eh?

Well, hopefully I'll have the computer fixed soon. If not, I'll have a bunch of other chapters posted at the same time


	25. Severe Difficulties

Author's Note (A/N): More apologies… but if this chapter goes up, it'll be with the previous one… so… you've already heard said apologies.

Previously:

Li and Sakura enjoy a great time in the Wind Realm, basically relaxing their worries away. As for Elaine… she's been very… unable to cope with the situation at the moment of her father, her loving, benevolent father, turning on her. Tyrell's going through the Thunder Realm and they find a sick child and decide to take said child with them. On to the chapter…

**Chapter 25: Severe Difficulties**

Shadow sauntered briskly through the Dark Realm, making his way towards the small village of battle-hardened warriors deep within the Realm. As he walked, Kero, in his backpack, and Yue flying through the air along side him with Eriol's two guardians kept silent. The five of them quickly made their way through the Realm in complete silence, no one caring to speak.

As the five of went along, the scenery changed ever so slightly. Moments ago, they were walking among rolling, bare hills. Now, they strode through slightly less barren mounds of dirt. Ahead of them, the hills slowly become mountains until they would, if continuing on this course, arrive at the single village in all of the Dark Realm, deep within the desolate mountains.

"This is so pointless," Ruby mumbled as she glided backwards through the air as if lying on a bed.

Ignoring her, Shadow continued on his course, heading straight for the village seemingly regardless his companions' conditions. Moments later, he stopped and set up a small camp, lighting a small fire and taking out a cooking pan from his backpack. As he brought out the food, Kero fell to the ground, clinging tight to a cookie larger than himself.

"Hey! I was just getting comfortable!" Kero yelled.

Shadow ignored this as well and continued to prepare a meal for himself and anyone else who would like to eat it. When he had finished, Kero floated up to it with a large plate and beady eyes, all of which had no effect on Shadow who simply spooned out a small portion for Kero. Shadow did the same on a single other plate and pushed it in front of Spinel before civilly, but quickly eating his own food.

When he finished, he quickly washed the plates that had been used, discarding whatever food that had not been eaten, repacked, and headed out again, all without a single word.

"Aaaah! I can't take it anymore! At least say something!" Ruby yelled, sighing heavily when Shadow ignored her as well. Ruby flew in front of Shadow, stopping directly in his path in an attempt to stop him. To this, Shadow simply responded by unleashing a trickle of Dark energy to politely push Ruby out of the way as he continued on his straight course.

"Why don't you just teleport the village to us? You control the Realm, right?" Ruby asked, more than a little irratated.

"I'm sure that if Shadow could have, he would already have done it," Spinel replied, allowing Shadow to maintain his silence.

The five of them continued on their trek, no one stopping unless Shadow did for fear of losing themselves in the accursed Realm overrun by dark, lethal creatures. A while later, as they neared the forest at the foot of the mountains, Shadow suddenly stopped. With a hurried, "wait here," he ran off, leaving his backpack and the guardians to watch over it.

"Where has he gone off to now?" Spinel asked, not the least bit curious.

"Who knows? With someone like him leading us, we won't ever gain any information," Ruby replied.

"He… reminds me of Clow. You could never get a word out of him if he didn't want to talk," Yue said, staring off into the distance in the direction Shadow had headed.

"Yes, he does. He's very much like Eriol: always planning something or another and keeping his thoughts to himself," Spinel said before the lot of them quieted down again to hear nothing but Kero's loud chip-munching noises.

About half an hour later, Shadow returned, carrying with him a girl with light purplish hair, unconscious in his arms. Behind him, a black-haired girl followed, yelling at him and attempting, and failing, to get a word out of Shadow.

"Why won't you talk? You come in, blast the creatures to who-knows-where, abduct Tomoyo, and do all of it without a word. Do you have _anything_ to say?" the girl asked.

"Hey, little girl, come give me a massage," Kero said, transforming into his larger, true form.

"I am not a little girl! Why did you have to bring the stuffed animal? What have you done with Sakura? What are you going to do with Tomoyo?" Meiling asked, slightly enraged and definitely annoyed.

"Carry her," Shadow said to Kero before gently setting Tomoyo on Keroberos' back, grabbing his backpack and walking off.

"Two words. That's all you're willing to say?" Meiling asked, greatly exasperated.

Ignoring her as well, Shadow walked off towards the mountains, forcing Meiling and the guardians to follow him onto the steep slopes. Another hour of trudging through the snowy path up the mountain and they arrived at a small village of hard-faced muscular men, each carrying with him at least one sword.

"Lord… Lord Shadow? When did you arrive?" said a small child, running off to announce to the town's council that the ruler had arrived, all without a response from Shadow who only kept walking towards the tallest building in the middle of the town.

As he walked, whispers could be heard all around him. Words such as "Lord Shadow," "master of combat," "protector of the village," and other gasps of amazement were heard amongst the commoners of the village. Only the battle scarred warriors said nothing and stared after Shadow with an aura of contempt and malice.

As Shadow approached the larger building, the crowds lessened and only the warriors remained, staring after him without a word. A few feet from the building, a man stepped into Shadow's path, blocking his procession. "You. I challenge you to a match. I shall wager loyal service to you for all my life, and you shall do the same."

Shadow, ignoring this as well, only weaved a web of Dark energy around the man and shoved him aside, lacking the time to deal with such antics.

"Then I must do this. I had not wanted to, but now, you leave me with no choice. I challenge you, _Lord_ Shadow, for the throne. According to our ancient laws, you must accept. We will begin immediately," the man said, drawing his sword which promptly broke in half as Shadow skidded to a stop on the other side of him, sheathing his own sword.

"So, the stories are true. We shall fight to the death. The winner will rule the Realm from here on!"

"I have no wish to kill you," Shadow said, keeping his ground.

"You have no choice. According to our ancient laws, when the current ruler is challenged to a match, he or she must accept. The winner is then the true ruler. If you walk away, then you forfeit the match!"

"Does it look like I'm moving? Keroberos, Yue, take Tomoyo and Meiling, keep them safe. You two, stay out of the way," Shadow said, spinning out his longest sentence since the day before. "If you will force me to kill you, then I will show no mercy. I accept your challenge. However, you may forfeit at any point to save your own life."

"You are the most arrogant little…! I will tear you to pieces!" the man said, charging Shadow with a sword in each hand.

"You're fighting in anger. You should calm down," Shadow said, dodging each of the man's slashes in swift, lucid motions.

The man turned around, seeing Shadow behind him, with his sword still sheathed. "Why don't you draw your sword?"

"I've no need to. Until you clear your mind, you are defenseless and I will not, under any conditions, attack a defenseless warrior."

"How dare you call me defenseless? I am the strongest in the village. I have beaten all my opponents, never once showing any mercy. You, you will die at my hand today and I will rule this Realm!" the man yelled, charging Shadow again and again.

"If I allow you to win this match, I would be dooming the entire Realm. The final battle approaches and I require warriors like you to help. If you would waste your life here, then you are betraying the Realm of your birth," Shadow said, weaving his way around every stroke.

The man continued to swing his swords at Shadow, running up at him again and again, full of determination. A few minutes later, Shadow drew his sword and with its blunt side, struck the man's swords from his hands.

"How? How do you read my every move? How did you defeat me so easily?"

"I told you before. You must fight with a clear head. When you fight me in anger, you rely solely on your power and forget everything else. Now, if you still want to die, I can arrange that. If you forfeit now, I will spare your life," Shadow replied, pointing his sword at the man's neck.

"Fine. I concede defeat. You win. This time," the man said, taking his swords and turning around in shame.

Shadow sheathed his blade before turning to the guardians and the two girls with them, motioning for them to follow as he proceeded towards the building. When he arrived, the small child was waiting for him with an elderly man, holding tight to his walking stick.

"So, you _have_ arrived. What is it that you come to seek?" the man said in a deep, shaky voice.

"I need the village's sorcerers and warriors. There will be, as I'm sure you already know, a large war involving all of the Realms. So, if you, as the elder of the village, could provide me with ample troops, it'd be much appreciated."

"Of course. However, you shall hold no power over these 'troops.' You are, ruler or not, still an outsider. How you managed to achieve such levels or power, I do not know. However, as the elder of this village, I must comply with your request. You shall have your men. I will send to the castle fifty warriors and twenty sorcerers. I'm sorry, but that is all that the village can spare and still keep an adequate watch. These mountains are treacherous and we must be prepared to defend ourselves."

"I see. I thank you for your services. I take my leave then. Hopefully, the ancient vows still hold true and you are still loyal to he that sits on the throne," Shadow said, turning from the man and the small child.

"Now what? We're going to walk all the way back? You can't arrange for a better mode of transportation?"

"I already have," Shadow said, pulling out a small piece of parchment. Holding two fingers up to his face, he mumbled a few inaudible words and tossed the paper out in front of him where a glimmering portal with a dark, cloudy center quickly formed. Shadow stepped through the portal and waited for the others at his castle. A few moments later, the six of them materialized inside Shadow's castle and the portal snapped shut behind them.

"You couldn't have done that to take us _to_ the village?" Ruby asked, staring crossly at Shadow.

"No," Shadow replied before walking off to his room and leaving the guardians with Meiling and an unconscious Tomoyo.

Shadow stepped into his room and stared at the picture on his desk for a moment before picking up the dusty sword beside it and going through all the different practice formations he knew. As he swung the sword around, images of a former self flashed through his mind and he remembered all the adventures he had had those years ago. Sheathing the golden-hilted sword, he stepped into the bathroom and splashed some water on his face before washing and changing quickly and laying back down on his bed.

"Sakura…"

* * *

"We'll be there soon," Matriana said, swimming through the strange water.

Eriol swam along beside her, somehow able to breath under the water without any magical covering. Slowly, a large castle appeared in the distance and the two of them entered, bypassing the few guards at the front entrance.

Upon entering the castle, Matriana ascended and stepped out of the water, holding her hand out to Eriol who gladly took it and stepped out.

"I'm sure you're wondering by now why you can breathe in this water. Well, to tell you the truth, you can't. There just happens to be a spell placed on the water that allows you to. Without the spell, you, like me, would be unable to breathe there. Here, however, it's dry. I never was a big fan of the wet palace idea," Matriana said, leading Eriol to a large room at the side of the castle. "This will be your room. If you feel like a bath after swimming through all of that, feel free to try out the bathroom. Dinner should be ready soon. We'll, believe it or not, be having fish from the Realm. After that, we can head off to my library for some spell books."

"Thank you," Eriol said before turning to the bathroom. "I think I will try that bath. I could use a nice hot shower."

Matriana turned from Eriol upon hearing his response and headed off deeper into the castle. Eriol quickly took a bath and grabbed some dry clothes from his bag, which he had waterproofed upon entering the Realm, to change into.

As he wandered through his room, taking note of where everything was, a woman, dressed as a servant, walked in and invited Eriol to dinner. Eriol followed the woman to the dining room where numerous plates, each containing a different dish, lay in front of him.

"Come, Eriol. We'll have dinner and then do some research before going to my library. You… don't have anything against fish, do you?"

"No, of course not!" Eriol said, smiling. "Fish is fine."

Eriol walked up to the table and the maidservant pulled out his chair for him. As he sat down, another maid came up to him with a bowl of rice. "Thank you," Eriol said as he took the bowl. Moments later, he spooned himself some oddly colored fish and ate in silence. Upon finishing, he thanked Matriana and went back to his room. "Could you call me when you plan on going to the library?"

"Sure. I'll be along in a minute," Matriana replied.

Eriol found his way back to his room and laid down on the bed, wondering whether or not his guardians were safe. For the first time, Eriol was at a loss for what to do. Matriana knocked on the door, disrupting his petty train of thought and led him down a few twisted hallways to a large room, all but filled with books.

"This is my library. Feel free to look at any books you want. If you find something pertaining to the war a while back, bring it to me and we'll take it with us back to Shadow.

"Ok," Eriol replied as he stepped into the room and started pulling books from the shelf.

The next few hours were spent in utter silence as Matriana and Eriol went from book to book, one seeking books about the war, and the other, seeking knowledge. After nearly three hours of searching, the two of them had found only three books pertaining to the war. "Eriol, we should go to bed soon. It's getting very late and we still have another day to search."

"Sure, I know the way back to my room. I'll be along in a bit," Eriol said, staring intently at one of the books in front of him.

Matriana looked worriedly back at Eriol for a moment before heading to her room, leaving Eriol by himself in the library. Thirty minutes later, Eriol decided that maybe it was a good idea to get some rest. He stacked his books neatly on the desk he had been using and walked back to his room, blowing out the candle on his desk as he left.

* * *

Sigma stepped through the Portal for the third time that day, this time bringing with him a large dragon that he refused to ride. A little ways from the Portal, Sigma met up with Candice again, holding a sleeping Elaine in her hands. "Took you long enough!" Candice whispered fiercely.

"I… ran into some problems…" Sigma said, holding a burnt hand behind his back.

"Of course… she must've been hungry. Weren't you?" Candice said in a coddling voice.

"Either way, let's get going. I've got to hurry back to the Earth Realm and gather my supplies and hopefully some troops. You have to do the same, so let's tell the people here what we need to, and we'll deal with everything else later," Sigma replied, pulling loose a large boulder and floating it in front of him.

"Oh, come on. Ride with me!" Candice said indignantly.

"No thanks. I'd rather keep my limbs, thank you. However,_ you_ can ride with me. There never was a need for your pet dragon," Sigma replied.

"You can take Elaine then. It's easier to take a sleeping child on a floating rock than it is on Flame. Let's get going," Candice said, having her dragon fly up into the air.

Sigma followed Candice and the two of them glided through the Light Realm, confusing a number of people that took enough time out of their busy lives to look up and find two powerful rulers in their Realm. Most thought nothing of it and went back to work, deciding that the two rulers had some business with their own ruler and not worrying about it any longer. As Sigma traveled across the skies of the Light Realm, he remembered, once again, the final battle that had taken place here. Knowing the truth now, he began to resent the Realm in all its beauty, acknowledging for the first time the truth behind Abner's statements.

_I only wish that he wouldn't have done that. I know there must have been some good in him. Elaine describes him as a loving father, someone that she would want to be with more than anything in the world. How could someone like that, someone so pure ever fall so far? There must be some reason: some family member he was trying to protect, some form of blackmail… The Abner I knew… There was only one thing he was willing to sacrifice everything for. The most precious thing to him was his one and only family, his wife and daughter Elaine. All those many years ago… Something must have happened during the war…_ Sigma thought, sighing heavily.

"Sigma?" Candice asked, suddenly at his side.

"Huh? Oh, Candice. Is there something you needed?"

"No, but you were just staring off into space and I wanted to make sure you weren't too lost in your thoughts. Remember, if you crash, so does Elaine," Candice warned before flying ahead. "Let's hurry. We still need to get back to our Realms and make preparations." At that, Candice urged Flame forward and the two of them sped towards the castle, leaving Sigma with Elaine on the large rock.

When Candice was just a speck in the distance, Sigma decided it was a good idea to begin catching up. A moment later, he was no less than 100 feet away from where he had started and still gaining on Candice's dragon. Little more than ten minutes later, the two of them arrived, almost simultaneously, at the Light Realm's castle.

"I though I'd left you behind. How did you catch up so quickly?"

"You never could beat me in a race," Sigma said, smiling nostalgically.

"I suppose you're right. Well, we're here," Candice said, walking into the castle.

"Who are you and what business do you have here?" came a gruff voice from within the castle.

"I'm Candice, ruler of the Fire Realm, and this is Sigma, ruler of the Earth Realm. We bring with us Elaine, daughter of Abner, the former ruler of the Light Realm," Candice said, loudly enough for most of the castle to here.

"Ok, now let's drop the formalities. I hate formalities," the guard said, beckoning them inside. "But there is one thing I find interesting about what you just said, Lady Candice. What did you mean by 'former' ruler of the Light Realm?"

"Abner has turned from his old ways. He has… become a little less capable than he was before. Putting it shortly, he is in league with a crazed man, wanting to destroy the Realms. A few days ago, he attacked his own daughter and all the other rulers that were present at the time, proving to us that he was no longer capable of ruling. Elaine is to be his successor, but she refuses to take the throne, still longing for her father and clinging to hope," Sigma replied, feeling a sense of regret for the way things had turned out.

"I see. I have two problems with your story. First, how do I know it's not _just_ a story? And second, if it's not, who will take the throne?"

"First, you don't. You'll just have to take our word for it. Second, we've decided to just leave the throne empty for now. We, meaning the two of us and the rest of our council, can elect a ruler later. For now, we need some cooperation from the people of the Light Realm. Hopefully we can get some help in the upcoming war. If not, we'll leave Elaine here and be on our way," Sigma replied, laying Elaine down on the sofa and sitting down next to her.

"Well, sorry to say this, but you won't be leaving. You see, we knew this was going to happen. I, however, did not believe one bit of it until now. The two of you will be staying here until Lord Abner has time for a proper trial. I never thought that you, Sigma, or you, Candice, could fall so far from your values. I, as the leader of the guard, hereby sentence you to life imprisonment within our castle dungeon. Don't bother trying to escape. We have the entrances well guarded and our armies are ready to attack at a moment's notice. Now, surrender peacefully and you'll save yourself from further harm."

"Wait. What are you talking about? You don't honestly believe that we've done something wrong? Can you at least tell us what you claim we've done wrong?"

"You need me to _tell_ you? Sigma, how long ago was it that you started down this path? Do you no longer realize that seizing power in another Realm is wrong? Or are you just trying to buy time? Perhaps you have friends coming to back you up?"

"What? You think I'm trying to seize the throne? Why would I want to do something like that? The Earth Realm is already enough for me to deal with!"

"Sure. So explain something, _Lord_ Sigma. If what you say is true, why is Elaine unconscious? Why do you and Candice come here alone, without the other rulers? Why is it that off in the distance, we can see an army of Fire and Earth creatures, waiting to assault the castle?"

"What are you talking about? We brought no monsters with us! The only thing we brought was my dragon, and that's just to make for an easier trip! As for Elaine, she fell asleep crying in my lap! You don't honestly believe that we would do something to harm the future ruler of the Light Realm, do you?"

"Yes, I do. In fact, I–"

"That is enough!" came a voice from the nearby marble stairs. Slowly, a pair of feet stepped down, followed by a man's torso and a face, all of which belonged to Abner.

"Abner!" Sigma and Candice yelled simultaneously, embracing their energy Spheres.

"Watch it, you two. Our bowmen are right up on the balcony. One wrong move and you'll be riddled with arrows!" the guard said.

"You two come and abduct my child from me at the false meeting you called in the Dark Realm, attempt to take my life, then bring my daughter back here, claiming that I've turned from all that is pure, try to put yourselves on my throne, and, just in case, bring an army of backup monsters? Do you realize what you've done wrong? If there's one thing you've done that's worthy of respect, it's bringing my daughter back here, but you only did it to take the throne! You wicked creatures that dare call yourselves rulers! You planned to play on my daughter's emotions, trifling with her still young mind, and feeding her lies, telling her that her loving father is evil and ruling through her! What do you have to say for yourselves?" Abner asked, yelling at the top of his lungs by the time he finished.

"I have nothing to say to you, you worm!" Sigma spat, turning indignantly from Abner.

"Nor have I. It's one thing to lie to us, but to be able to lie to the entire Realm… You're despicable!" Candice replied, staring Abner in the eye.

"And now, you come and insult me. You have to sense of respect, do you? You should be grateful that I don't have you executed on the spot! Take them away! Let them think over what they've done!" Abner yelled, walking over to his daughter.

"No! Elaine! What are you going to do to her?" Sigma yelled, fighting with the guards that had rushed into the room and grabbed him.

Abner ignored Sigma's pleas and took Elaine in his arms, shooting a look of pure malice at Sigma before slowly ascending up the stairs. The guards, paying no attention to Sigma's constant pleas, ushered him down a few flights of stairs, with Candice silently at his side, and locked him in a cell. Candice was thrown in the cell across the hall and two guards placed in front of each of their doors.

"You two will be here for a while, but Abner is a forgiving man. He may let you off easy if you go up to him and beg for your forgiveness. I'll take you to him whenever you're ready. Besides, we used to be good friends, right Sigma?"

"You… How can you _not_ believe me? You and I grew up together. You know that I would never do anything like this!"

"Yes, which is why I'm no longer sure that I'm still speaking to the Sigma that I knew," the guard, the same one they had spoken to before, said, shutting the door to Sigma's cell and taking his place in front of it.

* * *

Great… now they're captured… anyhow, this is another one of those times where I wish my computer were working… sigh…

Well, good luck with everything… I hope that everything works out with my computer, in the story, and in your guessing of the challenge…


	26. Abducted

Authors Note: Well, this was another slow chapter. Stuff happens though…

Previously: Shadow goes to get people for the war in the Dark Realm. He finds Meiling and Tomoyo around. Eriol is busy reading in the Water Realm, figuring stuff out. Candice and Sigma are kidnapped in the Light Realm by Abner. They are now held prisoner in Abner's dungeon. Meanwhile…

**Chapter 26: Abducted**

Tyrell moved quickly through the darkening Realm, waving his companions forward with a sense of urgency. The sky above him thundered and flashed, illuminating the ground in front of him for a few seconds. A moment later, huge pellets of water fell upon Tyrell, soaking him in less than two seconds.

"Hurry! You shouldn't let your daughter get wet in the condition she's in!" Lloyd yelled, diving into the dark mouth that was a cave.

No more than two yards away from the cave's gaping mouth, Kayley tripped, nearly landing on top of her child. Had Tyrell not, at the last minute, produced the small stream of magic to create a state of dimensional flux under Kayley, Ellen would have been crushed. Instead, the two remained virtually unharmed, scampering on towards the cave with little more than a skinned knee.

"Thank you, Lord Tyrell," Kayley said, holding Ellen close to her breast, keeping her warm.

"We'll be here until the storm ends," Tyrell said, walking back into the cave. "Lloyd, light a fire for them. After you're finished, you can come with me. I have… some knowledge you might be interested in hearing."

Lloyd moved to obey, taking a few dry sticks from his pack and unleashing enough Thunder energy on them to start a simple fire. Kayley moved Ellen closer to the fire, still cradling her, giving up her own jacket to keep her warm.

"M… Mommy?"

"Shhh… quiet honey… we'll be alright… get some rest," Kayley replied, and began humming a lullaby.

"Lloyd, are you done?"

"Yes, uh… Tyrell. I'll be there in a moment."

Tyrell finished unpacking a sleeping bag and hurried over to Tyrell's side, going deeper into the stalactite filled cave. Tyrell moved further into the cave, down narrow, twisting hallways and through large rooms, marking every turn that he made.

"Be careful," Tyrell warned as the edged sideways across a small protrusion of rock, just wide enough for the heels of their feet. With their backs pressed to the wall, Tyrell led Lloyd down the eroded rock wall, saying as little as possible. When they arrived at the bottom, Lloyd stared out over a large pool of water, awestruck by the massive fish, both magical and not, jumping out of the water.

"What is this place?" Lloyd whispered, his voice like that of a child. Slowly, cautiously, Lloyd bent down to touch the pure water, cupping some in his hand and drinking from it. "I had no idea places such as these existed…"

"Yes, well, I've brought you here for more than just the underground lake you see before you. There's something much more important."

"What is it?" Lloyd asked, straightening and turning to Tyrell.

"Kayley isn't safe. I believe that she is no more than a spy. Her child, Ellen, is potentially more dangerous. Whether or not she is really sick, I don't know, but I cannot, as the ruler of this Realm, leave them without an escort," Tyrell said solemnly. Tyrell walked over to the water, dipped a hand into it and sent out a small sonic pulse. Immediately, a fish came to him, rubbing up against his hand, absorbing the electric power coming from the tips of his fingers.

"But… Tyrell… what makes you think this?" Lloyd asked, wondering suddenly what the note Tyrell had picked up a few hours ago said.

"I'm sure you're mind flashed to the note immediately, Lloyd. You're very perceptive and I could use your powers of deduction in my employ once this is all over. The note, along with the odd figure we saw above the roof last night, they tell me. The note reads: **_"The girl and her mother wait. Take care to avoid the Stare." _**It's signed, "the watcher from the shadows."

"But, Lor– Tyrell, you don't know who this is from. There's no reason for you to believe a note left by some stranger!" Lloyd cried, surprise heavy in his voice.

"At first, I didn't think so either. But, for some reason I can't explain, I received an odd vision, while the clouds gathered over our heads on our way here. Kayley stood, behind Ellen, both of them with a demonic grin on their faces. I was there, lying on the floor, lifeless and you stood, no more than a meter away from me, fighting with your last breath."

"But… that's just your mind playing tricks on you. You read the note, and then your mind started thinking over it, and when you thought for long enough, your mind formulated this–"

"Enough, Lloyd. If there's one thing that I've learned from my father, it's to always trust your instincts. That all visions, all dreams, show some portion of the future. My father had a vision, moments before his death. He told me about it, attempting to lecture me in how foolish visions are, when in reality, he could have saved himself. I will not make the same mistake he did. Lloyd, I don't condemn the two of them yet. All I'm saying is to be careful, be wary of them."

"I'll do my best, Tyrell. Is there… anything else?" Lloyd replied, staring down at the lake and the fish as they swam around without a care for what the two land-walking giants were saying.

"Yes, one last thing. They followed us," Tyrell said, suddenly taking a more cautious stance and edging back up the ledge of rock.

Lloyd followed behind, poised to strike, a dagger of electricity in his hand. As they arrived at the top of the chasm, a dart flew towards Tyrell, penetrating his skin and leaving poison in his neck. Lloyd stared as time seemed to slow, watching as his traveling companion and ruler of his birth Realm fell to the ground. Suddenly, he was completely aware of his surroundings, seeing, without really seeing, the dart behind him as it glided through the air and lodged itself in his shoulder.

"So, you did know. That part about Master's plan failed. It seems you were informed somehow. How interesting," Kayley said, looming over Tyrell's limp body.

Lloyd stood behind her. Staggering and unable to maintain control of his dagger, he allowed it to shatter and disappear.

"Mother, shouldn't we be taking them now? There's only so long Master's willing to wait. You remember what he told us would happen if we failed, don't you?"

"Yes, of course. We mustn't fail," Kayley replied, ushering her child back up the long corridor before immersing herself within her radiant source of energy and letting a trickle of it move the two poisoned men lying on the floor.

* * *

"Yes, we must let them live. We can't afford to have that energy lost."

"But they're so troublesome. You know they'll revolt the moment they have a chance."

"Let them. I had to make sure that the final prophecy would be fulfilled. Only they, the girl, and her friends are allowed in the fight. I will not allow them to ruin the plan I set in motion seventeen years ago!"

"Bah! You're plan didn't work then, and you sought me out, putting me where you needed me to help you. I took caution to make sure everything would look as you wanted it to. For fifteen years, I've served you faithfully and you won't allow my sword the taste of these fools' blood."

"Silence, fool! He's awake!"

Tyrell sat up slowly, putting a hand to his head as the world blurred into view. _Where am I? What happened?_ he thought, thinking about the scraps of conversation he had heard before fully coming to consciousness. Slowly, his eyes focused and the blurry dim room could be seen with more clarity.

The room was lit by the dim glow of a distant fireplace, causing shadows to flicker in and out of existence. A man wearing golden armor stood on one side, his face hidden by a helm of gold. Abner stood next to him with a scabbard in his hand. As Tyrell continued to take in the room, he saw Lloyd on the floor next to him, still unconscious.

"Well, well, well. The mighty Tyrell, Lord of the Thunder Realm, captured and powerless before me," Abner said.

"Abner…" Tyrell said, malice and hatred in his voice. "How dare you turn against these Realms? You attacked your own daughter, and for what? The promise of power? You rule a Realm! What more could you want?"

"Tyrell, you will never cease to amuse me. When this is over and done, I will have more power than you ever dreamed of. Power is everything and I long for it!"

"What is power if there's nothing left for you to use your power on? If you destroy the Realms, power is meaningless!"

"How wrong you are, Tyrell. The Realms are but a disease to the universe. They do nothing but plague the real worlds, the true worlds. The Realms steal energy from these worlds, transforming them into each element. We will cleanse the universe of the Realms, relieving the energy. You are but an obstacle. I would kill you if _he_ would let me!" Abner said, motioning to the man in golden armor.

Tyrell stared, not believing for a second what Abner said. The man off to the side whispered something to Abner and left the room, gently shutting the door behind him.

"You're lucky today, _Lord_ Tyrell. I have more… important… matters to attend to. I'll have time to deal with you later!" Abner yelled, staring at Tyrell who returned his stare with a nearly identical one, lacking only the sadism in Abner's. Abner proceeded to the door, turning and tossing a small golden drop of liquid at Tyrell before stepping out of the room.

The droplet of golden liquid hovered in the air, rousing Tyrell's curiosity, before flying into Tyrell's mouth. Immediately, his body convulsed as the liquid blazed a poisonous trail through his body. Every second begat more pain, eventually leaving Tyrell on the ground, wondering when the pain had ended.

_Abner… I swear I will have my revenge on you!_ Tyrell thought before passing out on the cold floor, his body unable to cope with the pain that it had been submitted to.

* * *

Li lay in his bed, constantly aware that Sakura was right behind him. Every two minutes, he turned and stared at Sakura, realizing that he would never fall asleep. _Why me? I should just tell her and get this over with! That's all I need to do to get a good night's rest!_

Li continued to lie in bed, debating with himself what to do. _I can't just get off the bed. She'd think I hate her or something. This would be so much simpler had we gotten separate rooms…_ Li thought, regretting his thought immediately. _I love her, but… does she…?_

Sakura rolled over in bed. "Li, are you asleep?" she asked, staring at the back of Li's head.

_Great… Now I've awakened her. _"N… no. Wh… why are you still awake?" Li said, feeling a sudden dryness in his mouth.

"I couldn't sleep. Maybe I'm just a little hungry," Sakura replied, still not moving from her spot.

Li turned and saw Sakura smile innocently as she sat up. After what seemed like years later, Sakura got up and walked to the refrigerator in the kitchen next to the dining room. Li stared after Sakura, blushing furiously in the dark room. After a while, Sakura walked back to the bed. "I'll get something to eat tomorrow. Li… are you alright?"

Li returned Sakura's worried look with a blank stare, unsure what exactly she meant. "Y… yes…"

"Ok," Sakura said, smiling before lying down again.

After a few moments of silence, Li turned around again, still unable to sleep. Images of the times he had shared with the girl next to him flashed through his mind, reminding him of how much he truly loved her. Somehow, Li managed to fall asleep, giving in to his body's desire to sleep, even if his mind continued to wander through his dreams.

* * *

Li sat up in bed, sure that something was wrong. A moment ago, Sakura was beside him, still somewhere near him as her aura filled the room. Now, it was gone. Li quickly got out of bed, looking around for Sakura when a voice drifted through the air to his ears.

"Li, I'm over here!" Sakura said, with hollow excitement in her voice.

Li stepped through a curtain dividing the dining room and the bedroom, a curtain that had been pulled back the night before, and found Sakura standing there with breakfast prepared on the table. As Li approached Sakura, the feeling that something was slightly out of place still plagued him and the reason continued to elude his grasp. He walked over to Sakura and stood for a while, evaluating the being before him.

Immediately a problem presented itself to Li. As he stared at the girl in front of him, he realized that something was missing. The aura that surrounded Sakura, the aura that filled every place they had ever been in together had disappeared. He no longer could feel Sakura, but instead, what was standing in front of him was no more than an empty carcass, a cheap copy of his beloved.

"Li, Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, taking Li's hand and sitting him down. She started spooning him a large amount of food, being very careful not to spill anything. After there was a pile of rice and many different other dishes stacked upon Li's plate, Sakura stopped and sat opposite Li.

Through all this, Li never took his eyes from Sakura. He stared after her, feeling that something important to him had disappeared, that the most important person in his life had somehow walked away, leaving him with a large, empty hole deep within himself. Another realization came to Li as he stared at the girl across from him. The girl sitting across from him _was_ Sakura. Something had changed about her, or perhaps about him, but Sakura still sat across from him, filling Li with confusion and almost anger.

All the while, Sakura stared at Li with a confused yet worried look on her face, waiting for Li to say something. As their gazes met, Li saw the worry in her eyes, saw through it, and saw the emptiness within the girl. _What's going on? That… That's Sakura… but…_

A moment later, Sakura got up, looking very worried, and walked over to Li. "Li, tell me what's wrong. You're not acting like yourself today," Sakura said, taking Li's arm and leading him to the bed. After laying Li down, Sakura stood next to him, acting almost as a mother would, staring into the eyes of a dying child. With a look bordering on sorrow, Sakura put a hand on Li's head and, after seeing that everything was physically normal, allowed some of the sorrow in her face to wash off, smiling again.

Li continued to stare at Sakura. He closed his eyes and felt for her within his mind as she laid a hand upon his head. No matter how hard he tried, Sakura was not there. Something was missing, but yet not. Every time he saw her, he was assured that this was the Sakura he loved, but with his inner senses, nothing of the old Sakura remained.

"Li… say something," Sakura pleaded, escorting Li out of bed and to the door.

"I… have nothing to say…" Li replied, allowing himself to be led by Sakura, following her out the door. The two of them walked down a flight of stairs and out another door, leading them out into the open air of the Wind Realm. As the wind coursed through Sakura's hair, Li couldn't help but feel that the joy Sakura was feeling wouldn't last. Something was threatening her, right here where she was standing.

_Something's wrong. Something catastrophic is going to happen. Sakura… what happened to you?_ Li wondered, moments before he heard a scream from behind him as a large, dark shape grabbed Sakura and in one swift motion, transformed her into a pile of ash, leaving only a single hair which floated gracefully into Li's outstretched arm.

* * *

"SAKURA!" Li yelled, sitting up in bed, cold sweat running down his face. He turned, seeing Sakura jump up in bed beside him.

"Wha… what happened? Is something wrong?" Sakura asked, startled and worried.

Li turned to Sakura, hugging her and refusing to let go. "You're safe…" he whispered as tears streamed down his face. A moment later, he let go of Sakura, taking a long look at her face, making sure that she was there. _It was a dream. Only… only a dream,_ he thought.

Sakura stared back into Li's relieved face with a bewildered look. As she did so, Li got up, turned to the dining room, entered the kitchen and started cooking something to eat. _I have to tell her how much I love her. That dream… something about it was real…_

As the sun rose on the other side of the castle, Li finished his cooking, setting it out on the table and noticing that Sakura had disappeared. Much to his relief, he could still feel her presence, could still feel the energetic girl he was so madly in love with somewhere in the room. A moment later, the bathroom door opened, and Sakura stepped out, bright drops of water hanging from her hair, reflected in the dim lamplight.

"Li, is… something wrong?" she asked, taking a seat at the small table.

A moment later, Li decided that Sakura would be better off not knowing and quickly replied with a simple "no."

The two of them ate breakfast in near complete silence, one worried over a dream while the other sensed something wrong. As they finished their breakfast, a large gust of wind from the nearby balcony stole their attention from whatever unsettling thoughts were going through their heads. A few minutes later, the door creaked open, followed by a familiar voice to both of them.

"This door needs some oil," the voice said as Solana stepped through the doorway. "I see the two of you are already awake. I apologize for my… stalker… yesterday. He's been overly obsessed with me for a little more than a year now. I hope that dinner wasn't too bad, and… oh yeah, we have to get going sometime late today or early tomorrow. Until then, you're free to do whatever you want."

"Thank you for everything, Solana. The food was delicious, and everything's been wonderful. Can we… visit again after everything is over?" Sakura asked.

"Of course. How could I resist such a cute face?" Solana said, smiling in an almost motherly way.

Sakura nearly jumped into the air, completely overjoyed at the prospect of being back here, able to relax completely. Something, however, poked at the back of her brain, reminding her that something unpleasant lay ahead, some unavoidable catastrophe. Ignoring this gloomy thought, she turned to Li with a gleeful look on her face. "You'll come with me, right?"

Li stared back, lost in Sakura's eyes. What seemed like hours later, he replied with a stuttered, "yes" and let out a small sigh as Sakura turned her gaze from him, jumping energetically into the air to celebrate her excitement.

_When will I tell her? What if I never get the chance to? I have to say something; have to let her know before it's too late,_ Li thought, allowing himself to calm down with a heavy sigh.

"You can do better than that," Solana said, whispering into Li's ear. "You still have today…"

Li whipped around. Finding Solana suddenly behind him ripped him out of his thoughts as he jumped a little into the air before regaining his composure and calmly staring at Solana. As what she said finally dawned on him, a confused look washed across his face, wondering what to make of her comment.

Solana slowly walked out of the room, leaving Li with a happy, bouncy Sakura. A little while later, Sakura suddenly stopped propelling herself through the room, feeling a strange aura around her. Closing her eyes, she felt for the source of the aura, turning and watching as quietness wrapped itself around her.

After a minute of silence, she found the aura's source and stared solemnly out the window. "Li… what is that?" she asked, pointing to what looked like an ominous gray cloud with a shaky hand.

"Be careful," Li said, having little to no idea what the cloud was. Li could feel a presence behind the cloud, something warning him that danger was approaching. Staring at the advancing cloud, he couldn't help but remember the dream. Tearing himself from those thoughts, he allowed the presence of the cloud to pass through him, attempting to identify it. _Sakura…_

Suddenly, the door behind Li slammed open and Solana walked in, finding her way straight to Sakura before staring out the window with her. "Sakura, if you have anything to pack, do it now. We have to get going," Solana said, staring warily at the rapidly approaching mass.

Sakura nodded, frantically darting around the room, looking for anything she might want to pack. She grabbed her bathrobe and some clean clothes from the dresser Solana had provided and tossed them, along with her set of drying clothes and into a small bag. As Li stared blankly at her, she grabbed his clothes as well, tossing them into the same bag before heading out of the room.

Li followed Sakura, slightly annoyed that she had taken his clothes for him when he could have done it himself. Ignoring the small annoyance, he set his mind back on the now stronger malevolent aura of the cloud. A moment later, he grabbed Sakura's arm, stopping her.

"You can't go out there. Wait here for Solana," Li said, staring into Sakura's concerned eyes.

Sakura turned from Li and let the cloud's aura wash over her, feeling the malevolence within it along with its purpose. The cloud was coming for her. Everyone else would be completely safe, so long as nothing got between her and the cloud. Immediately, Sakura rushed out of the hallway, not allowing Li to follow. She flung open the double doors to the castle and stood alone in front of the castle, staring up at the thundering cloud above her head. _I can't let anyone else get hurt._

"Sakura! What are you doing?" Li asked, frantically trying to catch up to Sakura.

A bolt of lightning shot from the cloud, striking the ground a foot in front of Li and stopping him in his tracks for a second. As he began to run towards Sakura again, larger and more violent bolts struck the ground in front of him, creating a barrier between him and Sakura.

When the smoke and lightning finally cleared, taking the cloud with it, Sakura no longer stood outside the castle. Instead, there was a small sheet of paper, saying, **_"Come find me. I have plans for you,"_** with a small, scrawling, illegible signature. _Sakura… Why did you go?_ Li wondered as images of possible tortures flashed through his mind.

Li searched the air for the malicious aura, attempting again to identify who it belonged to. A strange sense of familiarity tickled the back of his mind without sprouting any plausibly correct answer for his questions. As his mind continued to search for an instance where he had felt this aura before, an image presented itself to him. Within his mind, the silhouette of a man appeared, holding in its arms a girl he knew had to be Sakura. The man stared at him through glimmering eyes and the background quaked with thunder and lightning. As suddenly as it had come, the image flashed away, leaving Li with some idea where the man was.

"Li! Where is Sakura?" Solana asked from within the castle, snapping Li out of his gloomy thoughts. The sullen look on Li's face answered her as unspoken words rang through the air. Solana called for Zephyr, climbed on, and flew herself and Li back to the Portal. The two of them stepped through it, and entered once again into the Dark Realm, each feeling more and more hopeless with each step.

* * *

Yay, another chapter! I'm so busy now… sigh… well, hopefully I can write slightly more quickly… if not… well, I'm sorry. Hope you keep reading! 


	27. Foreboding Victories

Author's Note (A/N): Right, so… It's been a little over a year since I last updated. Like I said in my profile, I neglected the story quite a bit… I think I just got tired of writing. Well, I hope I still have readers… if not, maybe someone new will start reading. shrug. Anyhow, I've edited every single one of the old chapters. There are some slight, minor differences. If you're an old reader, it's probably a good idea to go back and read them all again.

Previously: The ruler's all split up to go to their own individual Realms. Tyrell and Lloyd were captured in the Thunder/Lightning Realm, Sigma and Candice were captured in the Light Realm by Abner, Shadow went to talk to people in a secluded village in the Dark Realm, Matriana and Eriol went to the Water Realm, and Sakura, Li, and Solana went to the Air Realm to relax for a while and pick up some stuff. All in all, they've been having bad trips. Let's see if anything changes here, hmm?

**Chapter 27: Foreboding Victories**

"Tyrell, wake up…"

Tyrell rolled over in his disturbed sleep, finally waking up with more than just a migraine. After the room stopped spinning and settled itself with defined corners, lines, and geometric shapes, Tyrell stared at the person that roused him, attempting to put a name on the face. Moments later, Tyrell's mind cleared and his memory returned. He nodded at Lloyd before standing up rather shakily.

"Be careful. I sensed a poison in your body when I woke you. Take small steps," Lloyd cautioned, getting up next to Tyrell. The two of them walked around for a while, Lloyd helping Tyrell when he stumbled and Tyrell attempting to regain his wits. A short while later, Tyrell regained his sense of balance and managed to walk from one end of the room to the other, finding a comfortable spot next to a fire to sit when he was done.

"How… long have you been awake?" Tyrell asked, speaking for the first time since he awoke.

"Not long. No more than an hour. I don't know what happened before, but the poison in your body is deadly. The good news is that you managed to fight it off and it should be gone within the hour," Lloyd replied.

Tyrell stared for a while into the hearth, watching as the flames danced and formed shapes in his mind. Flickering shadows cast themselves across the ceiling, revealing the small imperfections of the otherwise smooth ceiling. All of this, Tyrell let drift through his subconscious, not really paying any attention as other thoughts occupied his mind. He wondered where they were, but when that answer presented itself to him through the faint strands of Thunder energy phasing in and out of the room, he turned to other, more important, thoughts.

Thoughts of how they would escape came next and Tyrell went through all the different methods he could use, running into a dead end each time. He attempted to seize the energy of the Realm, pulling at it and channeling it into the wall, but none of it came. Everything seemed to be blocked off by some invisible barrier far behind the walls of the room. As he realized there was no way out, Tyrell decided to stop trying, saving his energy for the first weakness he saw, in order to strike fully then.

"Lloyd, do you have any idea where we are?"

"No, I'm sorry. All I know is that we're in the Thunder Realm."

Tyrell allowed these words to flow through his thoughts as he stared at the door, sensing the approach of another person. When the door flung open the next moment, Abner walked in, staring maliciously at Tyrell and Lloyd as if trying to decide how to torture them next.

"Well, I see you're both awake!" Abner said loudly. He paced across the room, putting a hand up to his chin and staring at Tyrell as if he had decided to do something before returning to his pacing. Over and over he did this, keeping suspense in the air. As he continued his routine, Tyrell ignored him, staring into the flames and allowing Abner's arrogance to be his own downfall. He could not reach the Thunder energy flowing through the Realm, but there were things that could be done without it.

"I've got it!" Abner said triumphantly, cuffing Tyrell's hands together and leading him on a chain out of the room. "After this, you will tell us everything that we need to know. If not…"

Tyrell ignored Abner's threats, feeling for some odd reason that Abner wouldn't do anything to harm him. As he grew more and more faithful in this belief, he no longer feared for his own or Lloyd's safety. Contently, he followed Abner into a small room, ready to face whatever illusions Abner would present to him.

"Here we are," Abner said in a sadistic voice.

"Of course we are," Tyrell muttered, taking a seat in the chair Abner motioned to. "So now what are you going to do? Flaunt your nonexistent power?" Tyrell asked, mocking Abner.

"You think I'm _powerless_? Do you have any idea what I could do to you right now?"

"Nothing."

At this, Abner looked shocked, staring into Tyrell's fearless eyes and pulling a large amount of power into his body. Still, Tyrell sat, staring coldly back at Abner, knowing, somehow, that he could do nothing to harm him, knowing that Abner's was restricted by something.

"Fine!" Abner yelled, storming out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. A moment later, he reappeared, somehow with a more sadistic aura. Tyrell stared blankly at the wall, ignoring Abner's entrance completely until he was forced to acknowledge it when Abner turned his head towards him with some unseen strand of energy. "How did you know?" Abner asked vehemently.

Tyrell chose not to answer, now assured of his previous hunches, assured that Abner could do absolutely nothing to harm him. Every moment of Abner's desperation to ascertain Tyrell's means of gaining knowledge humored Tyrell, almost so much that he laughed. With every ounce of his willpower, he held his laughter, gazing into Abner's powerless eyes with what he thought was a knowing look.

Abner turned away, pulling tightly at Tyrell's chain and almost dragging him out of the room. Unceremoniously, he tossed Tyrell back into the small room where Lloyd waited, kicking his back hard enough to land Tyrell on his hands and knees before turning away. "You'll pay for this."

Tyrell got up, gave Lloyd a victorious look that said he was alright, and took his place near the fireplace again, staring yet again into the dancing flames. At the moment, Tyrell felt as if all would work out in its own way, that after the strife and struggle of this war, he would end up back on his throne, relaxing until he was called on for minor, outlandish problems.

* * *

Eriol sat up in his bed, waking up at the exact time of six thirty, as usual, and pondered the slightly useless information that he'd acquired the night before. Failing to see what else to do, he headed for the library again, feeling that time was a pressing issue and whatever information he could glean from the books now would be useful at some future date. 

As he walked down towards the library, a strange aura appeared, feeling almost benign in comparison to the past few days, but still carrying a twinge of evil. Ignoring the feeling, he stepped into the library and realized, immediately, the importance of what he had felt.

_How interesting… The parallelism of the Realms will never cease to amuse me…_ Eriol thought, allowing himself to fully experience the small aura that radiated through the Realms. Having realized what the aura was, he set to work, deciding that Inter-Realm Parallelism would have to be investigated sometime in the future.

Eriol sat down at the table once again and found the book he had been studying the night before. An hour passed, and Eriol finished the book entitled _Powers Dancing Through the Realms: The Dark Sphere_. Upon finishing, Eriol searched the tall bookcases for more books from the same series. When he had found five of the expected six books, Matriana stepped into the room and summoned him to breakfast.

"What time did you wake up, Eriol?"

"Six thirty," Eriol replied simply, but cheerily.

"Do you always wake up so early?"

"Yes, I do. I don't like to sleep in too late."

"But you're so young, and you were up really late last night. Oh well, I'm not your mother: can't tell you what to do. What do you want for breakfast?" Matriana said.

"Whatever you have is fine. When are we leaving to go meet up with Shadow again?"

"We'll head out later today, probably after lunch. Are you in a hurry to get back?"

"No, not really. Actually, I was hoping to stay here a little while longer to do some more reading. Can I borrow a few books from your library?" Eriol inquired hopefully.

"Sure. Let's get breakfast, then we can go back to our research. We haven't found very many books on the war so far."

The two of them stopped talking as they arrived at the dining room of the large, underwater palace. The windows leading to the wet world outside the castle showed large fish swimming nearby and elegant, waving kelp surrounding the castle. Light from the bright dining room caused a slight reflection of the room in the windows, giving the effect that window led to an identical, but underwater, room filled with playful fish. Eriol watched these exotic fish swim around, taking mental notes of each of them and deciding that his study of the Realms couldn't end until after he had swam in the waters of the Water Realm and studied the oddly colored fish. As Eriol and Matriana finished eating, they struck up conversation again, this time about plans in the upcoming battle.

"Matriana, do you have any troops or anything of the sort? Maybe some sorcerers or something?" Eriol asked.

"I do, but most of them have to stay around here to help out with this Realm. I'll bring with me as many as I can spare, but the beauty of the Realm around the castle is by no means an accurate picture of what the rest of the Realm is like. This area is only so beautiful because of constant upkeep by the workers around here.

"The sorcerers are immensely important as well, as one of the first things that any sorcerer in this Realm learns is how to extract molecules from dirty water. Any underwater community without a decent number of sorcerers that can access the Water Sphere will eventually die away due to pollution in the water.

"In addition, warriors are necessary to the well-being of any community. The largest underwater community has formed itself around this castle and has been here for years. If I take away too many people, either sorcerers or warriors from this community, it will have negative effects on the people that live here. As ruler of this Realm, I can't allow that to happen."

"I see. What about the other communities? Surely there must be extra people in the Realm somewhere," Eriol suggested.

"Yes, there are a few extra people, but it's always important to keep as many workers in a community as possible. The reason is simply one of precaution. If one of the regular workers dies, or is sick, or something of the like, then a standby, substitute worker would have to take his or her place.

"But again, I'll take as many as I feel can be spared. Besides that, my warriors would be largely useless in the other Realms. Warriors in this Realm are only very briefly trained in land combat unless they specifically request extra training. The only land in this Realm is near the center of the Realm and nothing really lives there."

Eriol sat and listened as Matriana explained the workings of the Realm and asked questions from time to time. They discussed topics ranging from purification of water, to the types of creatures that might threaten a community, to a hypothetical discussion of life on land as opposed to in the sea.

When they finished, it was well past nine O'clock and the two of them headed towards the library as servants came to take their bowls from the table. As Eriol and Matriana headed towards the library, they passed through an arched corridor and saw various figures swim by above the transparent ceiling. A huge figure swam past. Eriol stopped cold.

"Matriana," Eriol said, all cheeriness in his voice suddenly gone. "Look up."

Matriana did and saw the dark figure. "What is that?"

"I don't know. But it's not friendly. What protects this castle?"

"There's a large energy shield keeping all the water pressure off of it. As a secondary and tertiary defense, there are also spells that have been carefully constructed by a combination of all the rulers of the Realms when this castle was first built more than 700 years ago. It's a rather complicatedly structured spell and seems to use a technique that's been lost since that era. I doubt that even the Spiritmaker knows how to break it."

"That's good news. You should probably call some warriors to take care of that thing. I'll help too."

Matriana nodded to Eriol before the two of them darted back down the hallway. The two of them called to the first servant they met whom Matriana asked to sound an alarm. Mere moments later, a group of warriors and sorcerers dressed in tight, rubbery clothing that fully covered their bodies stood in the foyer of the castle where Matriana awaited them.

"Alright then. Warriors, sorcerers, we have to take care of that creature above us. I've never been one for rallying speeches, so all I have to say to you is don't die and watch your backs. You've all been trained well for invasions of the Realm and each and every one of you know exactly how to maneuver in the waters of this Realm better than any outsider ever could. If you're ever wounded during the battle, rush to the medical team if you can. If not, contact them through your communication ring on those suits and they'll locate and help you. Alright, troops, move out."

The legion of soldiers saluted Matriana by placing their right hand on their left shoulder and turned in unison to dive into the water one rank at a time. Matriana watched until each of them had gone and quickly put on her battle suit over her regular clothes. "Eriol, here's a suit for you. Their magically protected to keep water out, but you still have to be careful. The shield that they create isn't very strong and a blade wielded by a skilled underwater swordsman can still penetrate it. Along with that, anyone wielding Power from the Spheres will be able to penetrate it if your guard's not up."

"I understand. I'll be careful," Eriol replied simply before diving gracefully into the water with Matriana.

"Oh, and you can speak in the water. It'll carry just as well as it would in the air. I'll explain why later. For now, I've got to lead my little army against whatever that thing is."

Eriol simply nodded as Matriana swam ahead to the front of the army. After waiting a short moment, Clow's magic circle formed beneath him and he suddenly held his long, golden Sun Staff. Eriol swam forward, joining the fight that had begun.

The large creature, from this less restricted perspective, appeared to Eriol as a huge manta ray with four waving tails. Two eyes were placed at either side of its head and a third stationed itself at the front. The enormous creature was a dull gray-blue and spanned the length of the castle. Its back was covered with large humps, each of which had a tiny slit across the front. From each of these slits, people exited, wearing suits not much different than those worn by Matriana's army. _Amazing…_ Eriol thought, watching the giant creature.

As the opposing army exited its vessel, Matriana's army swam forward to meet them with Matriana in the center of the second line. The group swam in a tight formation and swiftly dodged magical attacks before retaliating with their own magic. Eriol watched for a moment before joining in himself, marveling at how well he could move through the water with the suit he was wearing.

As Eriol approached the fray, a small group of four enemy soldiers swam up to him.

"Who are you working for?" Eriol asked.

"You, who are about to die, don't need that piece of information!" cried the leader as he charged at Eriol with a long, curved sword.

Eriol swiftly dodged and sent fort a barrage of red energy from his staff. The four enemy soldiers weaved through the barrage, attempting to close in on Eriol. Feeling no fatigue, Eriol continued his barrage, watching his attacker's every move and filling up any holes in his defense, all the while paying attention to his surroundings to make sure no one would sneak up behind him. Finally, one of his balls of energy collided with an enemy and punctured his suit, leaving a patch of flesh across his chest charred.

"Is that Fire?" asked another attacker bewildered. "How are you using Fire magic here underwater? Even the strongest of the Fire Realm can't achieve that! Who are you?"

"You, who are about to lose, don't need that piece of information," Eriol responded calmly before suddenly switching his attack style and forming a sphere of energy around his attackers. "Good bye."

Eriol's sphere of Clow's energy closed in on the attackers, giving each of them burns in various places and knocking them unconscious. "You should be glad I didn't kill you. Then again, it's not really in my nature to kill anyone, is it?" Eriol asked the unconscious figures. After making sure that each of them were securely tied to the nearest solid structure, which happened to be a protrusion of rock from the seabed, Eriol turned to join with the rest of the advancing army. _If only we never had to fight magic users…_ Eriol thought to himself. _This war would be thousands of times easier if we had the only sorcerers. Let's see what I can do to help Matriana out._

* * *

Matriana swam swiftly through the waters, carrying with her a trident wrought purely of Water energy. As enemies swam up to meet her, she shot out massive streams of energy from her trident, knocking each enemy down as it appeared. Her army continued to advance with minimal casualties towards the large transport creature. Sorcerers from the Water Realm cast power spells to rather thoroughly annihilate their enemies while the warriors fought with their weapon of choice, easily outmaneuvering their enemies. The army pressed forward. 

"Matriana!" Eriol called.

"Eriol! Where have you been? I've been worried that you had been captured or something!"

"I ran into some of the enemy. Four of them attacked me a while back. I defeated them and tied them to those rocks over there so we can take care of them later. After that, I ran into a few other minor skirmishes. I had to get here and I need to warn you about the creature. It's storing up spiritual energy! I think it's about to unleash a rather large attack and it'd probably be smart to have you and your sorcerers put up a strong shield of sorts."

Matriana thought over this for a while and decided that since Eriol had yet to be wrong since she met him, she would follow his advice. Matriana called out to her nearest soldiers and told them to spread the word. Then, she touched her communication ring and spoke through it to all who were listening. "This is your commander speaking," she said. "I need all of my sorcerers to begin building a large shield together around the entire army. Spare none of your energy in doing this as it may be our only hope of survival. I repeat: form a large shield over our entire army. Work together people!"

Matriana turned to Eriol. "You're very sure of this, right?"

"Absolutely," Eriol replied. "I'll help strengthen the shield once it's up. I should be able to puzzle out how to intertwine my own magic into it to make it stronger."

Matriana turned back to the fight and saw groups of sorcerers begin to from fragments of a shield. As the sorcerers pulled more energy into the fragments, they enlarged and met together at perfect angles. Holes closed up in a matter of seconds and the shield completed itself, held in a little more than seventy places by individual sorcerers. A second group of sorcerers filled with Water energy swam up to the shield and strengthened it, tying together the individual fragments with streams of energy that could be visibly seen to any well-trained mage. "Ok Eriol, they're ready."

Eriol nodded and swam forward as Matriana watched. A magic circle suddenly appeared at Eriol's feet and he began to glow an eerie red. Matriana watched carefully as the entire shield was surrounded by the same, red aura. _What is he doing?_ Matriana thought, fascinated by the magic that Eriol used which was so different from her own. _There aren't any threads of energy. It's just one large, fluid mass. It's not only intertwined with the energy from the Water Sphere, but has more or less fused with it! This is amazing!_

Eriol swam back. "Matriana, the creature's ready to attack. I think this is the final attack. All of their soldiers have basically been defeated and the rest are retreating with the wounded back into that large fish."

"Understood. I hope this shield holds."

"It will."

Abruptly, the large transport fish started glowing a tremendously bright, vivid blue. As the last enemy soldier entered into a bump on the fish's back, the fish opened it's mouth and a concentrated beam of energy shot from it. The beam hit the shield and swept from left to right. Fragments of the shield began to shatter as the beam passed over it, dissipating into the water and disappearing. Immediately, Matriana filled herself with a torrent of Water energy. With large, thick flows of energy, she helped hold the shield together.

The fish continued to sweep the beam of energy left and right and the shield continued to fragment slowly. As all hope seemed lost, the fish finally closed it's mouth and sped swiftly away.

"That's it then. We've won," Matriana gasped, struggling from the effort of holding the shield. "Eriol, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. However, it might be unwise for you to leave this Realm now that it's been targeted. Their army today may only have been a portion of what they might still have somewhere. Let's head back to the castle and question the four soldiers I captured."

Matriana nodded to Eriol and called the army back to the castle. Cheerful sounds of victory reached Matriana's ears as the army slowly and happily swam into the castle. "Eriol, you tied the prisoner's to this rock?" Matriana said, motioning to a large protrusion of rock with ropes hanging from it.

Eriol nodded grimly. "Yes, I did. I have no idea how they escaped without breaking the ropes. In fact… it seems like they were never here," Eriol replied.

"Eriol, could the entire army have been made purely from magic?" Matriana asked as worry showed itself on her face.

"That may be. If it is, then whatever or whoever was controlling them…"

"… must be incredibly strong," Matriana finished. "Neither of us felt that they were created from magic. Let's head back, Eriol. It's well past time we should've left to meet Shadow. I'll have to contact him through the communication orb. Come on."

Matriana headed back to the castle followed closely by Eriol. When they arrived, the army greeted them cheerfully with cheers and a multitude of questions ranging from what they should do next to who Eriol was. Deciding to let her army celebrate, Matriana forced a cheerful smile and complimented them all on a job well done before making up an excuse and walking into the communication room, leaving Eriol to talk to answer questions that the crowd might have. _He'll be fine. He's extremely intelligent,_ Matriana thought as she hurried through the castle to talk to Shadow.

Lights turned themselves on as Matriana stepped into the oval shaped room. Hastily, she switched on the orb and called to Shadow's orb with it. About five minutes later, Shadow appeared. "Yes?"

"Shadow, we have a problem. My Realm was just attacked. We won the fight, but…" Matriana proceeded to tell Shadow about the fight and the deduction she and Eriol had made. When she finished, Shadow met her with a long silence.

"Matriana, I'll need you to leave your Realm either way. I know it's difficult to do, especially with all the people you have to worry about, but find some way to gather reinforcements. Don't bother bringing any troops, but I know for a fact that we all need to be in my Realm. I'll let you in on some more details later, but until then, please trust me. You and Eriol need to be back here as soon as you can. I can give you until noon tomorrow to make preparations. Ask Eriol to help you build up some defenses or something. Oh, I might stop by tomorrow if you're not here yet to help with some defense. I'll see what I can do, ok?"

"Alright, I'll prepare then. I hope you know what you're doing," Matriana replied before shutting down the communication orb. _Eriol trusts you; I may as well too._

* * *

Ok, so we have this chapter after a long time. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up before another year is over. To all of you that have been asking me to update, well, here's an update. Sorry it took so long. 

So, some things for you to think about. Mainly: What'll happen to Lloyd and Tyrell? How will they escape? Why can't Abner hurt Tyrell? What happened to Kayley and her daughter? What's going to happen to the Water Realm once Matriana leave?

Ok. Anyhow, solve the challenge. I think some people already have, but I can't honestly remember.


	28. Unexpected Help

Author's Note (A/N): Umm, this was a fast chapter, but I assure you it has good material. Also, I want to mention that the two parts of this chapter happen simultaneously, or close to it. In other words, all the chapters since they parted and went to their own Realms are all happening at roughly the same time. Or as close as you can figure them out to be. I'll try to explain later.

**Chapter 28: Unexpected Help**

The Light Realm's castle dungeon was a well kept place. Despite being a dungeon, the floors were still well swept and the cells were regularly cleaned. The dungeon was brightly lit with lanterns and the prisoners very well fed. Two prisoners sat within the dungeon, both of which wouldn't touch the food served to them.

"Sigma, really, why don't you just drop the act? It's over, you've been caught. Ask Lord Abner for forgiveness and I'm sure he'll give it to you," the head guard said.

"Look, Kyle, you and I grew up together. You know me well enough to know that I wouldn't try to usurp anyone's throne. _You_ were the one that spent day after day trying to convince me that I should try to become ruler of the Earth Realm. Why – "

"Sigma, give it a rest," Candice said from her cell.

"So you'll admit, Candice, that this is all an act?" Kyle asked.

"No, I'm just making the point that there's no point in Sigma wasting his breath with a fool like you."

"Candice…"

"What? We've been captured, beaten! _Again!_ Every time it seems like we're winning in some way, _something_ comes along and defeats us!" Candice ranted angrily. "There's really no _point_ to me keeping my temper as you're about to suggest I do, Sigma!"

Sigma shrugged. "You should still keep your temper. It'll help if you could think straight as opposed to having your judgment clouded like it always is around Shadow."

Candice crossed her arms indignantly and turned her back on Sigma with a loud "hmph!"

Sigma heaved a sigh and tried to amuse himself by watching a small spider spin a tiny web between two bars of his cell door.

"Sigma, I want to hear your story," Kyle said after a while.

"What story?"

"The one about why you've come here claiming that Abner's turned evil and such."

"Oh, that one. Well, you should remember that me and Solana came to this Realm a little while ago to summon Abner to a meeting of the Council. Shadow, the new ruler of the Dark Realm sent us and all six of the other rulers came to his summons. After that, it's a really long and complicated story. Actually, I probably should've started with some visitors that came to my Realm, since that's really where the whole story starts for me." Sigma recounted all the incidents that led up to their current situation. A little more than two hours later, he finished his story and answered Kyle's questions.

"Kyle, look, if you want proof of the authenticity of my story, you can ask me and Candice questions about any obscure detail that you want and I'll bet our answers aren't that far apart," Sigma suggested.

"Alright, fine. I'll ask some detailed questions. First, where do these kids come from?"

Kyle handed the two prisoners two sheets of paper each and a pencil. When they had finished writing down the answer, he took the papers and read over the answer. Sigma watched Kyle carefully, trying to make out his facial expression. "Alright, next question. What does this Sakura girl chant to summon her staff? Also, what color is her staff and what's it look like?"

Sigma took his second sheet of paper and answered the question as well as he could remember, all the while hoping that Candice had answered the previous question the same way. About five minutes later, Sigma finished his answer and handed it to Kyle. Candice was still writing.

The guard took the sheet of paper and read over it, then waited patiently for Candice to finish. When she had finished, Kyle took her answer and read it. Sigma watched. "Next question: which of the kids can use magic? What kind of magic can they each use?"

Sigma received his first sheet of paper from Kyle and began to answer his question. This time, Candice finished first and turned to Sigma with a smug look on her face.

_This isn't a race, _Sigma thought, annoyed. When he finished, Kyle took his sheet of paper and read over his answer.

"How many more questions are you going to ask?" Sigma asked calmly.

"As many as I need to," came Kyle's reply. "Alright, what color hair does Shadow have?"

"Black," Sigma and Candice said together.

Kyle blinked at them. "Alright… You've either taken a lot of time to make sure that both of you know the complete story with all the minor details, you're both possessed by the same person, or you're telling the truth. I doubt you're possessed. You both act like the Candice and Sigma I know, petty rivalries included. Fine. I believe your story, but that leaves quite a problem."

"That Abner is a twisted, evil mastermind and that he's brought back the Summoner. Oh, and just one more, tiny, insignificant little thing. WE'RE CAPTURED!" Candice finished.

"Candice, calm down. I'm sure Kyle will find some way to let us go."

"I'll talk to the other guards. We'll fight with you against Abner."

"Thanks, Kyle. I knew you would understand, but I don't think you should go against Abner. He's powerful. You heard what he did to us back in the Dark Realm."

"We'll join your side against Abner. I'm not stupid enough to challenge him myself, or even with all the guards in this castle. I'll go talk to my most trusted guards first. Until I get back, don't say anything about this to anyone, ok?"

Sigma nodded in return a leaned back on the sparsely padded bench. "See, Candice, I told you that holding your temper could help in situations like this."

Candice sniffed loudly and crossed her arms again, turning from Sigma indignantly. "Stop telling me what to do!"

* * *

All the corridors in the Light Realm's palace were heavily decorated with chandeliers, extravagant wallpaper and various paintings painted by great artists of times past. Hundreds of doors lined the sides of these corridors, each leading to anything ranging from servant's quarters to guest rooms to the humble storage closet. Kyle moved briskly through the corridors with an air of purpose, stopped in front of one of the many doors, and knocked.

"Come in!" came a cheery voice from the inside.

Kyle stepped inside and found Haarqual's room just as it always was: cluttered with junk items that never seemed to have any use. Kyle stepped into the mess. "Are you ever going to clean out any of this junk?"

"Nope! Why would I do something like that? You never know when you might need something!" a tall, medium-build, dark-skinned man replied, stepping out of an adjacent room with a towel hanging over his shoulders and dripping, pointed, black hair.

Kyle stared in surprise. "What… did you do to your hair?"

"Do you like it?"

"Well, first off, you dyed it black. Second, it looks like an explosion, and third, no, I don't like it. Anyhow, I'm not here to talk to you about your hair; there are more important matters afoot, hmm?"

"Umm, ok, sure! Just wait a while for me to get you something to drink."

Kyle stared after his strange friend and sat down, marveling at the elegant curves and intricate design of the table in front of him and wondering when his friend had gone insane. A short while later, Haarqual returned with a serious look on his face.

"Kyle…"

"Oh great, what now?"

"You won't like the sound of this… but…" He paused.

"But what?" Kyle asked tensing.

"We're out of … WINE!" he finished, laughing wildly.

Kyle relaxed and threw a balled up sock he found on the bed at Haarqual. Sighing loudly, he spoke. "Ok, ok, I get it: you're very funny. Now, can we please get to business?"

"Alright, fine, what's so important that you would venture to the Land of Junk that you despise so much?"

"Abner's a fraud," Kyle replied simply.

"You sure?"

"Yes, absolutely. I spoke with Sigma and Candice. You heard the commotion, right? They came claiming that Abner had turned evil and were thrown into the dungeon for it."

"Right, so what makes you think, all of a sudden, that they're not lying?" Haarqual asked, his clear blue eyes staring off into the distance, out the window.

"I questioned them. Had them answer questions simultaneously. Every one of their answers matched."

"Oh. So, why are you telling me?"

"We're going to break them out and take as many guards with us as we can. I'll let them tell you the story."

"Sounds like fun!" the man replied, excitement visible in his eyes as he turned them from the window. "When do we start?"

"Let's go find some more people we can trust. Do you know any?"

"No, not really. Besides you, I think everyone in our little brigade of guardsmen just wants promotions. Actually, I wouldn't mind a promotion myself…"

"Oh, come on! You're the head cook! You can't _get_ a higher position. Besides, you can't fight worth anything."

The two of them bickered for a while, one mocking the other's swordsmanship while the other retorted with jokes regarding soufflés. After a short while, the discussion turned to planning and Haarqual inputted suggestions with a serious demeanor.

"Alright, so the only person we can really trust is my wife and another friend of mine. Before we go talk to them though, I think you should go talk with Candice and Sigma about their story."

Haarqual stood up and extended a hand to Kyle to help him up. Kyle clasped his hand and to his immediate surprised, was rather painfully shocked by a toy in Haarqual's hand. "Ha, got you again!"

"You're just doing this because you know what'll happen when we meet up with my wife," Kyle replied flatly.

Haarqual put the toy away and helped Kyle up. "Nah! She can't do anything to me this time!" he said.

"Oh, and why's that?" Kyle asked as he picked his way across the junk covered floor.

"You'll see!"

The two friends stepped out of the room and headed back to the dungeon to find Sigma and Candice bickering over what color the sky in the Thunder Realm should be. As the two entered, Candice turned her heated stare at Kyle, sending shivers down his spine. "Hi," he said meekly.

"You tell me. What color should the sky be?" Candice asked.

"What?"

"The sky in the Thunder Realm! Sigma insists that it should be dark, gray and dreary all the time, and I insist on it being a rather light gray with clear blue where the clouds are parted!"

"Aren't they both still gray?" Haarqual suggested.

Candice stared heatedly at him and crossed her arms again. "Men!"

The next hour passed swiftly with Sigma recounting, yet again, the tale of his adventures since meeting Li. Haarqual listened, seeming distracted and bored. When Sigma finished, Haarqual stood up and spoke quietly with Kyle.

"Ok, fine, I get it. Abner's dangerous, so, how are we going to do this?" he asked.

"Let's go get a few more people," Kyle replied. Raising his voice a little, he added, "Sigma, I'm going to get a few more people and then we'll all leave. Haarqual can stay here and keep you two entertained. He seems to be good at that."

"If you say so," Haarqual replied. "Bye!"

Kyle rolled his eyes and walked off, leaving his two oldest friends and heading to talk to his wife.

* * *

Sakura woke up. The room was dark. "Hello?" she called out to the magical presence in the room. "Who's there?"

"You've awaken."

"Who are you?"

There was no reply. Sakura stood up and took a step toward the magical presence. Her foot landed in a puddle of water. "Hello?" Sakura called out again. Still, no one replied. Sakura backed away from the water and closed her eyes. She concentrated her magical energies and felt around her for the thin, crisscrossing lines of Dark energy that she needed to access her Cards. Abruptly, Sakura realized that they weren't there. In fact, there was nothing around her, no magical aura, even where it had been. Slowly, she opened her eyes again to see a growing, horizontal slash of light in the distance.

Sakura stepped towards the light and fell into a deep pool of freezing water.

"Sakura, taking a bath?" came an unfamiliar, silhouetted form's voice. "I'd get out of that water if I were you. It's barely above freezing!."

Sakura climbed out of the water, shivering. "Wh-who ar-are y-you?"

"That's not important," the figure replied, now somewhere unseen in the dark room.

Sakura turned towards the voice.

"I'm over here," it said from behind her.

"What do you want?" Sakura asked steadily.

"I'm not sure yet."

"What do you want me for?"

"Also not sure."

"Then why did you capture me?"

"Just for the fun of it, I suppose. Maybe I'll think of some things for you to do later. Oh, just as a thought, the pool you fell into is all around you. Think of yourself as on a seven foot diameter island, hmm? Anyhow, I just wanted to get a good look at you. I'll leave now."

Sakura sat silently in the dark as the figure stepped into the light and out of the room. Shortly after the figure left, Sakura took out her Star Key and attempted to release it. When she failed, she reached out for the strands of Dark energy and again felt nothing. The room seemed to be entirely void of any magical presence save her own. All of a sudden, the room lit up.

"Oh, by the way, Sakura, the next time you land in that water, it will immediately freeze around you. I don't think you'd enjoy being a human ice pop, hmm? Other than that, good luck surviving!"

"Wait! Surviving what!" Sakura asked frantically.

"Why, the large blasts of icy energy coming your way, of course. What, you mean you don't see those chutes over there? And you don't feel anything coming from them?"

Suddenly, Sakura felt the energy as it blasted out of a small hole in the wall. The energy sped towards Sakura who quickly ducked to dodge it.

"Very good!" came the voice. "Well, good luck! If you use your Cards, you might do better!"

"But I can't use them!"

"Sure you can! You just have to be very careful about how you do it! Good bye, now!"

Another blast of energy shot from the wall. Shortly after, a hole opened up below the first and a second blast closely followed the first. Frantically, Sakura dodged both blasts of energy as more holes opened up in the domed building she stood in. Frantic thoughts raced through her mind as she concentrated and still felt no magic in the room, all the while dodging more and more blasts of energy.

Three more holes had opened up, two placed to her left and one behind her. Cold, icy energy sped across the room, striking the walls and leaving a thin layer of ice. Sakura thought again about her Cards. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her: _How does Shadow access the Dark Realm's energy outside of the Realm?_ Sakura concentrated again, found a safe spot on her little island where no energy crossed and reached out for the Dark Realm. Slowly, she saw, or rather perceived, a small, black orb of energy, far and distant.

Sakura reached out for what she knew to be the Dark Power Sphere and immediately ricocheted off some invisible barrier. She tried again, this time, more slowly and subtly. Sakura's reach passed through the barrier and slowly inched towards the Sphere of energy that lay in the distance. Another barrier presented itself and Sakura penetrated. More and more barriers popped up, and as Sakura reached past each of them, her spiritual energy was slowly drained and her reach began to falter. Two barriers separated her from the Sphere. Sakura reached.

Another hole opened in the wall.

Sakura passed the first barrier.

Energy poured from the hole and sped towards Sakura. Time seemed to slow as she penetrated the second barrier and drew on the Dark Sphere. "Fiery!" She yelled. The Card sprang to life and shrouded Sakura in a ball of flame. The icy energy collided milliseconds later and dissipated.

"Hard to reach that Sphere, isn't it?" the voice asked. "Well, I think that'll be all then. You must be tired."

Sakura collapsed from the strain of touching the Dark Sphere. Breathing heavily, she looked around the room. The holes in the wall all closed up; the door opened; the lights turned off.

"You didn't do too badly, did you? Well, the problem is, now I'm bored because I didn't get to see you encased in ice, so I've decided to shove you into that water, hmm?"

Sakura tried to speak but was too fatigued. The silhouetted figure approached the edge of the glimmering water and walked across.

"Oh, are you tired? Come now, you only used one of your Cards. You can't be _that_ tired. I'll tell you what, if you manage to so much as stand up, I'll leave you alone. I'll give you until I get over there. Sounds like fun, hmm?" the figure asked.

Sakura attempted to move and failed. She tried again. She failed. The figure took another step across the water, walking at an almost taunting speed. Sakura continued to try, breathing heavily, yet her body refused to obey. Mountains seemed set upon her arms and legs, pinning her to the ground. Slowly, the mountains became lighter. Slowly, the figure stepped closer, and closer, and closer. The figure stood on the water perhaps 5 feet away from the edge of Sakura's island. _Halfway,_ Sakura thought. _I can do this. I still have time._ Sakura tried again. Her hand moved.

"Oh, you're moving. How surprising that your body could recover so quickly. I think after I encase you in a block of ice, I'll hold you as a frozen trophy in my room. I'll keep the room cold."

Sakura moved her arm. The figure stepped closer.

"And every so often I'll thaw you and talk to you a bit. Maybe I'll have a shot at torturing you. That seems to be happening quite often these days, hmm?"

Sakura moved her feet. The figure stepped closer.

"Well, Sakura, you've managed to move a whole three inches so far, or something like that. Maybe I should speed up. I wouldn't want to lose a wonderful source of entertainment!"

Sakura slowly moved her legs. The figure reached the island.

"Looks like you won't make it after all. Well, you've still got another three feet of time, hmm?"

Sakura slowly tried to turn over onto her stomach. The figure stepped still closer.

"I do congratulate you, however, on a job well done. You even managed to use your Card without releasing your staff. It was a well fought battle. I think this is what they mean when they talk about winning a battle but losing a war, hmm?"

The figure took a step. Sakura slowly got onto her knees, and paused, sweat drenched and breathing heavily. The figure took another step.

"Well, looks like I'm one step away. So, just out of curiosity, of course, how would you like me to toss you into the lake? Head first? Feet first? Sideways? On your belly perhaps?"

Sakura put her feet under her and worked her muscles. Slowly, after stumbling a few times, she stood. The figure took its last step.

"Oh. You're up. How unfortunate. Now I have to leave you alone."

Sakura collapsed again, slowly losing consciousness. The lights switched on. Abner stood over her.

"Well, time for me to leave then, hmm? Good bye."

Sakura stared in horror for the moment or two that her consciousness remained with her. Broken thought filled her mind as she fell into a deep sleep plagued by nightmares which ran rampant with horrendous tortures.

* * *

Sakura awoke hours later with a terrible headache. Sakura rolled over and buried her head in her pillow after pulling her blanket closer for warmth. _Why is it so cold?_ she thought groggily. Sakura sat up in bed and looked around, startled. _I'm in a bed._ She felt around and wondered what was going on. Footsteps approached.

"Sakura, you're awake," came the unfamiliar voice through the door. "Mind if I come in?"

"Umm… Sure…" Sakura said cautiously.

Abner stepped into the room flicked a switch which lit all the candles in the room. Sakura looked about and found a small, cozy room sparsely decorated with extravagant paintings. The bed Sakura had been sleeping on stood in a corner, covered with clean, white sheets and a large, thick comforter. Stuffed animals cluttered a shelf opposite of the bed, next to the door. Candles, lanterns and other sources of light lined the walls, all blazing fiercely, dispelling all shadows from the room.

"So, how was your sleep?" Abner asked politely.

"Uh… It was fine, thank you," Sakura replied uncertainly.

"Follow me." Abner walked out of the room. Sakura followed closely behind. Abner led Sakura into the center of a dark room and walked away. "Oh, Sakura, I forgot to tell you: you're going to be very badly attacked. Good luck," Abner said, closing the door.

The lights in the room flickered on and Sakura tensed as she felt magical energy surge through the walls. Frantically, Sakura reached for the Dark Sphere. The slow process began again as Sakura penetrated barrier after barrier, becoming weaker as the magic seemed to surge closer to Sakura's pounding heart. A large hole, nearly as tall as Sakura, opened in the wall. Sakura felt the onslaught of magical energy surge from it as a large ball of fire formed at its mouth. Finally, Sakura reached the Dark Power Sphere and drew from it.

"Try Sword," came Abner's voice.

Sakura, for a lack of any other ideas complied. "Sword!" she yelled. A sword formed in Sakura's hand just as the fireball launched from the gaping hole. Sakura slashed at the fireball and the magical energies split off of the sword and raced past her sides, leaving her unharmed save for the immense heat from the fire. A second fireball followed. Sakura slashed again, this time, with more force. The fireball collided with Sword and split more widely, leaving more space between Sakura and the flow of magical energy.

As a third ball launched from the mouth, Sakura fell to one knee. Holding herself with her free hand, soaked with sweat and breathing heavily, Sakura held her sword firmly in front of her, pointing it straight at the approaching fireball and focusing the remainder of her energy into it. Sword began to glow a dark pink. The fireball collided with it and burst into five separate strands of energy, each streaming past Sakura, none nearer than a foot. Sakura fell forward, miraculously maintaining consciousness. The sword in her hand dissipated and Abner stepped in.

"Won another battle, hmm?"

Sakura nodded feebly, amazed that she could move at all.

"Well, didn't think you'd make it. I should've sent one more fireball at you. I think you would've died. But… we can't have that, can we, hmm?"

Sakura's eyelids dropped and she felt herself being picked up by a stream of unfamiliar energy. Slowly, she was placed back in her bed and Abner walked off out of the room, politely switching off the lights as he did so. Lying in the dark room, Sakura's fatigued body refused to find rest. Dreams plagued her yet again, none of which made any sense.

* * *

A little more than three hours later, Abner stepped into the room and removed Sakura from her bed with the same stream of strange energy. Another hour later, Abner arrived at a Portal with Sakura floating in her sleep nearby. Chanting softly, Abner accessed the Portal.

Abner stepped through the Portal with Sakura still floating along next to him. He scribbled something on a piece of paper and stuffed it in Sakura's pocket before leaving her on the floor, carefully eyeing the dark castle that loomed nearby and knowing that a few minutes later, a black-haired boy would arrive to meet Sakura.

Carefully hiding his magical energy, Abner turned back to the Portal and chanted quietly. The Portal turned a deep, blood red and Abner stepped through after casting an erasure spell on the trail he knew the Portal would provide to his destination. Moments later, the Portal regained its normal colors and a boy took Sakura in his arms, eyeing the Portal suspiciously.

* * *

Humm… See, told you I'd write faster. What… three days to get this posted?

Anyhow… things you should probably figure out are… WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH ABNER?

And uh… ya… Also, what's Kyle up to? Is he REALLY helping out Sigma and them? Or is he just faking it? and what about Haarqual? He's a strange guy, isn't he? Rather insane, if you ask me.

Oh, the challenge still stands for people that want to solve it, though I think a few people already know the answer. Keep reading!


End file.
